Pyrrha The Fox
by SleepinEyes
Summary: After a successful mission, Pyrrha wake up changed. Now she need to adapt to a new life, while her valiant knight and precious friends help her to adapt on her new situation.
1. Spartan Fox

Ren smiled as he defeated another Beowulf with a combination of Storm Flower's blades and his own Aura powered martial arts. The reason why he was smiling was because he was back in his home village, doing exactly what he wanted to do when he entered Beacon: destroying Grimm so his people could have a bit of peace. His team being there was a plus, as he saw his childhood friend Nora using her overpowered hammer-grenade-launcher to send a Beowulf flying through the skies. He notice how elegantly yet efficiently Pyrrha dispatched three other Grimm, and he understood why she was the best warrior at Beacon and a four times champion.

He was especially happy with his team leader, Jaune Arc.

At the very first moment that Ren set his eyes on Jaune, he knew that Arc boy had no proper training whatsoever. The fact that despite that he fought with them and in fact created a winning plan against a Deathstalker after mere minutes of observation of their abilities made Ren curious about someone that despite not a proper warrior had such tactical mind and the courage to risk his life for others.

When Ren learned the truth about Jaune entering Beacon, he was a bit disappointed at first. But seeing the boy giving a sincere apology and how Pyrrha and Nora supported him, made him realize that a leader don't need to be the best warrior, but the one that people would rally around. The fact that Jaune dedicated so much to improve himself made Ren happy they stuck around with him. The fact they were there because Jaune almost begged Ozpin to give them a mission close to Ren's home was another plus.

Jaune cut the arm of the Alpha Beowulf, which howled in pain and tried to use the other claw to hit the blonde boy. The knight blocked with his shield and using Crocea Mors he cut the head off and turned around to see his team defeated all the Grimm. Jaune sat on the ground exhausted but happy. That was the 10th Grimm he defeated, the 7th all by himself. He knew Pyrrha interfered with the Ursa Major he decapitated while saving Cardin, but he never told her because he swallowed his pride and wanted her help. And now he could proud say he was a Huntsman in training, and that he deserved his spot.

Pyrrha smiled and rushed to his side, the side of his partner that she was helping mold in the warrior he wanted to be and she knew he could be. She almost hugged him, but stopped and just patted his shoulder. Ren saw that and groaned. To everyone but Jaune it was clear that Pyrrha was in love with her partner, yet he was oblivious to it, or maybe unable to believe someone as amazing as Pyrrha would feel like that for him. Meanwhile Pyrrha didn't blunt said how she felt, and while the duo become even closer after the dance, they still haven't moved of the friend zone.

"Renny, I will tell them. I can't take this anymore!" Nora half shouted half whispered to her partner. Ren was actually thinking about the idea but decided that Pyrrha would be unhappy if her feelings were made public for her.

"Nora, don't. It is up to them to work about their feelings. The best we can do is providing our support." He smiled as he saw Jaune gently holding Pyrrha's hand as he took care of a scratch she had, while Pyrrha blushed and smiled. "Besides, I think things are working out very well for them."

"Jaune, my Aura will heal it in a few minutes." Pyrrha said, not actually complaining ad his hand felt amazing on hers. Jaune finished the curative and smiled.

"I will not wait if I can take care of my partner. You are too important to me Pyr."

That one phrase made Pyrrha almost blurt out her heart to Jaune, but them they heard a whimper. Jaune made a sign and they got in defensive position as the knight walked towards the sound, sword and shield ready. He walked behind a bush and saw a small red fox with a cut on its right pawn. Jaune sheathed his weapons and crouched. The fox looked wary towards him.

"Come on little one, I just want to take care of this cut."

As if the fox understood what he said, it allowed Jaune to get closer. The boy cleaned the cut and put some bandages around it. The small fox gave a small lick on his nose before darting inside the forest. Pyrrha felt her heart getting bigger at the scene, and Nora was using the little willpower she had to not jump on Jaune and praise him.

"That was a nice gesture of you, Jaune, helping a forest critter." Ren commented as they got closer of their leader. The feeling was shared by everyone.

"Well, if I want to be a good Huntsman, I need to protect everything I can, right?" He spoke and scratched the back of his head thinking on how sappy that sounded.

"I will be by your side as you do it, Jaune." Pyrrha said making the boy blush. The mood was broken by Nora though.

"That is why you are our noble leader!" she said giving him a bear hug. Ren needed to separate them before she crushed Jaune's ribs.

As Jaune caught his breath, he saw what seemed to be a stone lantern of sorts dropped on the floor. He examined the stone piece and saw that it was knocked out from its stone base nearby, and that it actually was a beautiful sculpture. Ren noticed the piece too and smiled.

"In the old times my village believed that the spirits of the forest protect them from the Grimm, and this was an offertory to them. We would bring food to it and believe that the spirits would take it in exchange of their protection."

"Well, I don't see the harm in trying. Come on Nora, help me put this back in place." Jaune said and Nora saluted, the strong girl easily handling the task. As soon as the old offertory was put in its position, Jaune unwrapped a cereal bar and put it inside. Ren smiled satisfied at it, and offered a quick prayer. "OK, time to go. Sorry we can't spend more time at your village, Ren."

"You made more than enough by convincing Ozpin to allow us on this mission. I am… thankful for that, Jaune." The knight patted his friend's arm and they started walking back to the village where a bullhead would take them back to Beacon at night. Jaune was one that would always fill his promises, and that again made Ren proud of having him as a leader.

As they happily chatted and walked back, they didn't noticed that something took the cereal bar, and now curiously looked at them walking. The small figure let out a small yelp before following them, its bright eyes focused on a certain gentle knight.

…

"You need to come back soon, Lie Ren." A man very similar to Ren in appearance, except slightly older and bulkier said as he patted Ren's shoulders with a great deal of strength.

"I will try to, Lie Ran." He answered to his brother with a smile. Nora giggled as she found it funny how the two brothers treated each other. "Your leg better be healed next time so we can fight together."

"Damn Beowulfs took a taste of me, but I am sure he died of food poisoning." The big laugh Ran let out made Ren smile. Despite being brothers they were wildly different from each other. "Next time though, don't bring blonde, handsome and lady killer there."

Ren looked as many of the village girls surrounded his leader and openly flirted with him. Maybe it was because most people in the village had dark hair and eyes, with exception of Ren and his magenta eyes. Maybe it was because Jaune acting casual was quite charming to the girls that were used to the men in the village acting all proper. But Ren and Nora knew one person that would support the idea of never bringing Jaune there again.

Pyrrha looked at Jaune with a mix of sadness and jealousy, which was obvious to Ren and Nora, but probably would completely escape Jaune's mind. The Spartan couldn't help it after seeing Jaune growing into a great warrior and becoming more confident, and she dared to say, more handsome. Pyrrha had a very real fear that one day some girl that just met her knight would take him away from her, but she didn't knew how to deal with it.

Her whole life was spending training and competing, and her mother always said to her that she had no time to seek for a relationship while she was in the prime of her physical prowess and that if Pyrrha wanted to be a champion, she needed to sacrifice some things. That was one of the reasons Pyrrha accepted the invitation to Beacon, to have a bit of freedom for herself, off the pressure of her mother, her fans and the competition.

But in the moment she found someone that treated her as just another girl, she became curious, about that blonde boy that didn't oozed confidence as everyone else, which completely ignored her celebrity status. And even after discovering all the things everyone said were special about Pyrrha Nikos, still looked at her as his friend, partner and mentor. And now she have no idea on how to clue him she wanted more.

"Go get our fearless leader Pyrrha, before some of those girls marry him on the spot!" Nora whispered to her and pushed the Spartan towards the circle of girls that surrounded her knight. Caught by surprised Pyrrha staggered towards the circle of people and almost fell down, that being when she felt a pair of hands helping her up. When she looked up a pair of blue eyes locked on hers, that one silly smile in Jaune's face making her smile.

"How unusual for the amazing Pyrrha Nikos to trip." He spoke in a teasing tone and the girl could only smile more.

"That is why I have my powerful knight to help me." She answered and both stood like that for a few moments before someone called for them.

"Hey, lovebirds, better you board this shit or I will leave your asses behind!" The old bullhead pilot called, making Pyrrha separate from Jaune and blush madly. She also cursed the pilot for ruining the mood and would have used her semblance to Force choke him if she wasn't too nice for that.

The duo gave their final goodbyes and boarded the bullhead, that didn't wait for long before taking off. Ren looked sadly as he village once again disappeared at the distance, and he promised to himself that once he graduated he would come back and become the guardian he always dreamed to be, and protect his family and friends from anything and anyone that dared to threaten them.

Nora spoke happily about the few days they spent together, and Jaune and Pyrrha smiled at her, now knowing how exactly they met and how they remained friends, as Nora's parents worked as medics at the village, while Nora 'saved' Ren from kidnappers, actually the boy's brother and some friends, and since them they become inseparable, as Ren was the only one who could control Nora and Nora the only one who could make the boy have fun.

At that moment Pyrrha felt a sudden need to sleep. She wondered why, as it was still early and the job wasn't that hard to begin with. A few times she felt her head dropping but tried her best to stay awake until she felt a hand moving her head. She looked to her side and saw Jaune making her rest her head in his shoulder.

"Come on, partner. No need to stay awake if you are tired. I will take care of you."

That was enough for Pyrrha to just close her eyes and let that sleepiness carry her away, her had incredible comfy at her knight's shoulder. Ren and Nora smile at that, all too knowing what that simple gest meant for Pyrrha, while they also noticed Jaune had a smile different from usual. They said nothing, but to them it was like seeing someone finally choosing his meal after stalling the line for too long.

But none of them noticed that a fifth passenger snuck its way inside the bullhead.

…

"I hope she is not sick." Jaune said as he gentle shook Pyrrha, the redhead sleeping soundly and with a smile in her face. Nora checked her temperature with her hand.

"Nah, maybe the stress finally got her."

"I don't care! I need to take this flying deathtrap back to the hangar, so blondie take your girlfriend out of my ship!" The pilot protested, and Jaune sighed and blushed. He analyzed the situation and decided to be bold. He gave Nora Pyrrha's weapons and took his partner in a bridal carry style. Pyrrha only reaction was to let out a pleased sigh and rubbing her head on his shoulder. Then all of sudden the knight noticed a flash and saw Ren with his scroll.

"Ren?"

"Don't worry, it is for our eyes only." He said, making Jaune stare at him as they walked back to the dorm.

"Besides, there is at least one redhead that will not forgive us if we didn't do it." Nora said as she strode by their side.

"Who?" Jaune asked, making Nora and Ren shake their heads. But they did notice the longing stares Jaune gave Pyrrha as he looked at her peaceful face. Ren and Nora shared a knowing look, and the energetic girl mouthed an 'it is happening!' to her partner, that just nodded in agreement.

They entered their room and Jaune gently laid Pyrrha down. The girl squirmed a bit, even in her sleep not willing to let go. The knight caressed her hair and smiled, not noticing another pic was taken by Ren. He would show them to Pyrrha once she was awake so maybe they could finally start making that ship sail.

"Nora, Ren and I will grab some food for us. Please take Pyrrha out of her armor and into something comfortable AND decent?" Jaune asked and Nora saluted.

"As you command, oh mighty leader!" She waited the boys to leave before starting removing Pyrrha's armor. "You know Pyr, I think Jaune and you might get together-together sooner than expected."

Nora giggled as Pyrrha made a pleased face.

…

The boys returned sometime later, and Pyrrha was already in her night attire, a long red t-shirt that reached her knees, her hair free and flowing on the bed. Jaune sat on her bed and put her food on the side table, and the group talked a bit in a low tone to not disturb the Spartan. Jaune gave his partner a look from time to time, worried on how heavily she was sleeping, but he also appreciated her beautiful sleeping face.

"Well, better we hit the sack too. Hope Pyrrha wake up in the morning, or else I am taking her to Doc." He said as he gently caressed her face with a worried look on his.

"I am pretty sure she is all right. We all are tired." Ren said as he patted his leader's shoulder, Nora yawned and jumped with Ren in his bed, something that Jaune and Pyrrha learned to accept, though Ren itself still tried to convince Nora to stop. Jaune gave on last stare at Pyrrha before getting up.

"Jaune…" He looked surprised at his partner that called his name. She was clearly still sleeping, but that didn't avoid Jaune to blush hard. He smiled back and sighed. He really appreciated all things Pyrrha did for him, and lamented he could not do much for her in exchange.

"Sleep well, Pyr." He said and gently kissed her forehead. He missed the incredible happy smile she gave as he walked to his own bed.

…

Jaune woke up feeling the most refreshed he ever felt. He always had trouble sleeping at Beacon, considering the training pains, the stress of classes and the fact two beautiful girls shared a room with him. He smiled and snuggled something closer to him. It was at that moment that he felt something heavy was on top of him. The first thought it was Nora and her particular way to wake people up. He opened his eyes and didn't saw Nora over his blankets, and he blushed as he looked under it. To his surprise, it was not Nora that was there.

"Pyr?" He questioned, wondered if he was dreaming as he saw Pyrrha's bright green eyes staring at him, and his partner giving him a beautiful smile.

"Good morning, Jaune. Thanks for leaving me some food. I was starving when I woke up in the middle of the night." She said in her usual cordial tone. Jaune smiled at first than gave her a curious look.

"Pyr, why are you in my bed?"

"It looked to comfy to pass up." She replied with her usual smile, her fox ears twitching happily, making Jaune smile warmly back.

Wait…

"Pyr?" Jaune stretched his hands and touched the mysterious pair of ears on Pyrrha's head. She yelped in happiness and smiled as he caressed them gentle. They were warm and moved at touch, and Jaune clear noticed they weren't fake. Jaune tossed the blanket off and saw Pyrrha also had a fluffy red tail ended in a white tip, and that the tail moved too. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) the tail moved her t-shirt up revealing her cute but small panties and the most perfect buttocks Jaune ever saw, almost giving him a heart attack.

"Jaune, everything is OK?" Pyrrha asked as she touched her forehead on his, and Jaune blushed even more. Somehow, Pyrrha became even more attractive to him than before. Their clearly moment was interrupted by Nora yelling in happiness.

"Ren, it happened!"

"What happened?" Ren asked as he woke up at the yelling, finally looking at Jaune's bed. He tilted his head at the scene, Jaune and Pyrrha looking back. "Wow, never imagined you too could be so bold. Cosplay?"

"Ren, I don't think this is cosplay." Jaune said as he got the mirror Pyrrha kept in their shared table and showed it to Pyrrha. The Spartan looked at it and finally noticed the ears. She touched them and her smile changed into a worried look.

"What happened to me?"

…

It took a half hour before everyone calmed down enough to talk. Nora couldn't care less, she found Fox Pyrrha adorable, and Ren needed to keep her away from the redhead new acquired ears and tail, while Jaune looked at his scroll for every site possible for an explanation of what the hell happened to his partner. Curiously enough, Pyrrha was not very concerned about it as she examined herself in the bigger mirror inside her closet.

"I will need to fix my clothes. The tail keep pushing my skirts up and showing my panties." She calmly stated, making Jaune having a coughing fit.

"I think we need to be more concerned on what happened to your body, Pyrrha. People don't just go sleeping as a human and wake up a Faunus the next day." Ren said, taking Jaune and Nora's word that those ears and tail were very real. "Did you find something about his, Jaune?"

"Aside the mystic stuff like spirit possession and lycanthropy? No." Their leader answered as he closed his scroll. "Let's go see Doc. I am more worried about Pyrrha's health for now."

"Aww, you are worried about me!" Pyrrha cooed and hugged Jaune, which got surprised at the unusual display of affection coming from the redhead. He got out of the hug and grabbed a long rain coat and hat from the closet, putting them on Pyrrha, which frowned at it. "Jaune, those things are uncomfortable…"

"I know, but until we are sure about what happened to you, I don't want weird rumors around. You know the Faunus think it is in bad taste to cosplay like this, and then we have a whole lot of assholes around that would do all types of gross comments and we can't punch them all to death." Jaune said gaining a hug from Pyrrha. He still was unsure how to deal with her sudden penchant for contact.

"Thanks, Jaune, you are the best partner I could ask for." She said as she nuzzled his cheek and Jaune blushed and scratched his head.

"Better we get going then. The later we go the more people will see Pyrrha." Ren stated as they walked out of the door. Ren scouted around and signalized them to follow, and the JNPR quartet rushed their way to the med bay.

Unaware that the neighbors' door opened and four pair of curious eyes followed them.

…

Dr. Shen Verd saw many weird things in her life, and in her medical career. But that probably would take the cake, as she re-examined Pyrrha one more time. All the exams she had at her disposal (and those were many considering the nature of Beacon) told her that Pyrrha Nikos was as healthy as possible. With the exception of her new pair of fully functional ears and tail, nothing was abnormal with her. The doctor took some tissue samples and would send them in secrecy to more advanced labs, but for now, she had no answer for what happened to Pyrrha and if there was a way to make the girl go back as she was before.

"Of course, you could try surgery, but those tend to be very painful." The doctor said aware many Faunus tried to remove their prominent characteristics in an attempt to blend in.

"Doc, this isn't a disease; I see no reason to subject myself to that. If that is how I am now, so be it. And if people have a problem with it, I don't need them in my life." Pyrrha proudly said, and the doctor smiled. She was taking it very well, but Shen knew that once the fact Pyrrha Nikos was for all effects a Faunus, that she would have a hard time.

"We will do what we can to help you Pyr. And if anyone gives you a hard time, their legs will have a close encounter with Nora's hammer." Jaune reassured his partner, which giggled happily. Nora also giggled, but evilly. Shen shook her head and smiled. She forgot Jaune was one of those that couldn't care less if you were a Faunus or human as long as you were a good person, and so was his team.

"So, Pyrrha, are you sure you want to go out on public about this?" Shen asked the redhead, which nodded in confirmation. "People will not take it as well as your friends."

"My friends are by my side, so I don't care about those who aren't. Besides, better I come clean and tell everyone exactly what happened to me than having them creating all the wrong ideas." Pyrrha stated and the doctor smiled and nodded.

"So, I will call Ozpin and see what he wants to do. Maybe a public statement will be safer than let people discover how you changed and create wild theories about it." They all nodded in agreement, and then Jaune sighed and walked to the door. As he opened it, team RWBY felt down and looked at them with awkward smiles.

"Besides, it is clear that some people can't stop meddling with other's affairs." He stated, giving them a smile. Team RWBY apologetically smiled back.


	2. Mind the Bully

Ruby sat by Pyrrha's side and scratched the back of her Fox ears happily. That was both the cutest thing anyone inside that room ever saw and the most unexpected. After everyone taking at least a dozen pictures of the redheads, they now discussed everything that happened to the Spartan.

Ruby and Nora didn't care much. To them, Pyrrha was still Pyrrha, just cuter. Ren, Jaune and Yang didn't care if she had fox features or not, as long as she was healthy. Weiss made the biggest fuzz, offering all the resources of the Schnee family to return Pyrrha back to 'normal' as she put it, and while the way she talked annoyed most of them, they knew she was just worried and wanting to help. The one that had the most different reaction was Blake, which just listened to it in silent. When everyone calmed down a little though, she approached the redhead fox girl and stared for a second.

"Do you mind I touch them too?" Blake asked, surprising everyone, and Pyrrha nodded in affirmation. Blake gently touched both ears and the tail, and sighed, giving a concerned look at her friend. "Pyrrha, I am begging of you now, if you have any clue on what happened to you, please tell me."

"Blake, I have no idea what happened. I can only assure you that whatever happened to me was not of my own volition, and that I am not doing some type of sick joke over your Faunus heritage." Pyrrha stated, knowing exactly what concerned Blake.

The black haired girl nodded and sighed. Of course Pyrrha was not one of those weird people on the internet that believed they were Faunus 'in soul' and used plastic accessories to look like one, Pyrrha would never go to the extent of changing herself physically over some type of demented prank. She was above that type of thing, and Blake considered her a good friend.

"Pyrrha, I must warn you that to all Faunus haters out there, they won't care about how you changed from human to Faunus. The same type of prejudices we suffer, you will suffer from now on, and maybe even if that is a temporary thing, some will still treat you badly even after you change back, if you change back. Some doors that were always open to you will close. And that is just the humans. Some Faunus will assume you are doing a publicity stunt, or worse, mocking them. I even fear people like the White Fang might try something against you." Blake affirmed, and they all understood that she was concerned about a friend. Pyrrha didn't grow up as a Faunus, she had no experience in dealing with all the prejudices that would come against her. And she didn't have a community to fall back to.

"If anyone tries anything against our Pyrrha, they will have to answer to me." Jaune said as he put both his hands in Pyrrha's shoulders. She smiled at him and rested her head in his shoulder.

"Yeah! We will break their legses!" Nora happily said, Ren nodding in agreement. Everyone said something along those lines, making both Pyrrha and Blake smile.

"While our friends' enthusiasm is… nice, I want to tell you that you can count on me to help with any problem I can solve within my power… But… Blake has a point. You will get a lot of flak over something out of your control." Weiss said, surprising everyone, especially Blake. It seemed that despite Weiss harsh past with the Faunus, she was really trying to be a better person.

"I will do whatever I can to help you within the Faunus community. But… I can't guarantee anything." Blake finished, and Pyrrha just gave her usual confident smile.

"If this is what I am now, I will do my best to cope with it. I am happy that I can count with all my friends, the people that really matter, on this." Pyrrha said as she noticed Ozpin and Ms. Goodwitch entering. The blonde teacher gave Pyrrha a few new sets of uniforms that would accommodate her new tail.

"The staff of Beacon will give you full support, Ms. Nikos, for as long as you are a student here and for as long your predicament lasts." Ozpin said, reassuring her.

"And if any students give you a hard time because of your situation, don't hesitate to come to me. I will not accept or tolerate discrimination of any kind here." Ms. Goodwitch affirmed, and they all remembered the harsh punishment she gave Sky Lark when she got him bullying Velvet once. Sky still would steer clear of any Faunus except when with Cardin.

"Now, Ms. Nikos, I need to ask. Considering we have no idea what exactly happened with you, are you sure you don't want to take a leave for a while?" Ozpin asked and Pyrrha just hugged Jaune tight. Ozpin arched an eyebrow at the unusual act of affection.

"Doc already said it is not something contagious and that aside my new appendages I am perfectly healthy. I will not leave my team." She answered, hugging Jaune even more, making Ozpin smile a little.

"You mean you won't leave your Jaune." Yang teased and Jaune blushed hard on it, but Pyrrha made no movement of letting him go. Ozpin chuckled at that and smiled openly. He was one that was betting the duo would be together before the next semester and that development made it more likely.

"Very well, Glynda and I will come with an excuse for your situation that we hope will cause the least of concerns among the students and the least of problems towards you." Ozpin said before sipping on his mug once again.

…

For all effects, what Ozpin told everyone was probably the best excuse they could use, yet it caused a big uproar. They told that during the last mission Pyrrha came in contact with an ancient Dust powered artifact that caused the 'mutation'. The machine was being analyzed to see if the effects could be reverted, but aside that there was no need to worry about the possibility of that happening to anyone else.

Most people reacted positively at it, though that depending on the angle it wasn't necessarily a good thing. Some thought that fox Pyrrha was hotter than normal Pyrrha, and that grossed her out. Others wished her to get well soon or return to 'normal', despite she not being sick and that being a Faunus was a normal thing, at least to her and her friends, even Weiss to an extent. Blake was very happy with that attitude, as she worried the Spartan could dislike being like that. Some few just shrugged it off as another weird thing that happens in a school where people are trained to fight monsters.

A few reacted poorly, especially the humans, but most were the open racists that everyone expected to. A few others that were closeted racists also showed their true colors after the fact. Pyrrha didn't bother with them. It was the Faunus that reacted the most surprising, as most just avoided her. They probably didn't know the proper way to react, and according to Blake they all decided to wait and see how Pyrrha herself would act.

And at that moment all she did was being way too affectionate with a certain blonde boy.

That was the only change they could saw on the Spartan, at least mentally, as she now sat with Jaune at their usual table, her tail curled in his back, her legs on his lap and her arms around his neck. The knight did his best to ignore it, but it was hard as Yang kept teasing them, and Pyrrha seemingly ignored it. Everyone else was more confused than anything, except Nora, that kept hitting Ren's ribs with her elbow.

"Pyrrha, I think your current behavior isn't proper." Weiss finally spouted, not being able to see the usual well behaved redhead being all clingy like that, especially with Jaune Arc, that the heiress considered undeserving of Pyrrha's affection.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. Jaune and I are partners, and he doesn't mind. Do you?" She asked, her eyes lovingly staring Jaune's own.

"Well, it is not bad per se, but people have being staring." He commented, and in fact many people stared both curious over the ways Pyrrha changed physically, and some really jealous about her being all over Jaune.

"Let them." Pyrrha just answered, leaving Weiss agape for a moment. Jaune just blushed and concentrated in his food. That is when Pyrrha felt someone giving her a harsh tug on her tail. "OUCH! What was that for!?"

They turned around to see, who else, Cardin Winchester laughing with his hand on Pyrrha's super fluffy tail. He and his team laughed at the pained expression Pyrrha gave, and they all were surprised the boy would risk angering Pyrrha. She wasn't undertrained as Jaune, or a pacifist as Velvet. She could take them all down in seconds.

"See guys, I told you it was real. But maybe she would like if we could pull it oUCH!" He got his hand off Pyrrha's tail as soon as Jaune slapped it with the handle of his fork.

"Cardin, I told you to not touch my friends!" Jaune growled, and Cardin laughed at his bravado.

"Friend? I think she is more like your pet right now. And I didn't know you were one of those sickos that love to do animals. THE HELL?!"

Cardin clenched his hand, the fork Jaune had in his hand was now hanging on the bully's hand, blood coming from it as he removed the fork. Jaune though didn't threw the fork, a skill he certainly didn't had, but he looked at Pyrrha's satisfied smile and new she used her Semblance, something unusual for her to do in public, or even she getting even with Cardin.

"I would much appreciate if you didn't bother us, Cardin. I am not feeling very lenient today." She said in her usual gentle tone, and she resumed snuggling Jaune.

"Pfft, now that you are a lowly animal my team could take you down, Nikos." Cardin challenged as he held a napkin to his hand. Pyrrha didn't bother to answer this time. "But maybe you need permission of your owner now. Better put a leash on your pet, Arc."

Jaune almost jumped on Cardin if Pyrrha didn't hold him. Ren and Ruby were also holding Nora down, a mission incredible difficult. Blake and Weiss were using all of their willpower to not jump at team CRDL themselves. The bullies laughed like they were clever before Jaune tossed his mashed potato at them. With that both teams RWBY and JNPR started tossing food against team CRDL, and that just didn't escalated to a full on food fight because Glynda Goodwitch stopped the three teams with a glyph.

"Children, I will not clean up your mess again. Can I know what is happening here?"

"They attacked us for no reason!" Cardin lied through his teeth.

"You liar! You attacked Pyrrha!" Weiss promptly said, putting the very hard apple she was going to throw back on her plate.

"We were just curious to see if her tail was real! Besides, Arc attacked me with a fork!" Cardin showed the injury the fork caused.

"You started bullying my partner!" Jaune defended himself, taking the blame for the fork, causing the girls and Ren to smile at him, and Pyrrha to fell more in love for him.

"Yeah, defend your pet OUCH!" Glynda hit the back of Cardin's head with her whip.

"I am tired of your attitude Mr. Winchester. Prejudice will not be tolerated. And Mr. Arc, you should not resort to violence to solve conflicts." She said as they all protested, mostly defending Jaune. "Enough!"

"Yeah, side with them, you always was soft with Jauney boy anyway." Cardin accused, receiving a death glare from the teacher, which was always fair in how she dealt with her students. "Or are you sad your favorite student is now defective?"

"So, why not we discover how much 'defective' I am, in battle, Cardin? Me versus your whole team again. Tournament rules, of course." Pyrrha said, now annoyed over the constant stream of insults she was receiving.

"Fine by us. We will teach you a lesson." Cardin answered with a confident smile, something that bothered Jaune.

"Har, har, four big men defeating one girl. And that is if you are even able to touch her in battle." Jaune said, receiving approving looks from his friends, a hug from Pyrrha and a growl from team CRDL. Ms. Goodwitch just sighed.

"I don't know why you all like to give me so much trouble, but if this battle can end this issue I will allow it. You all have one hour to get ready." Ms. Goodwitch said as she made sure team CRDL left. Now the table was filled with happy talks about breaking legs and splitting skulls.

…

Jaune was blushing madly once again, as he fixed Pyrrha's battle attire to accommodate her tail, and that meant the boy had to touch her buttocks and waist to make sure the skirt was comfortable and holding in place after he used his sewing kit to fix it. Pyrrha didn't seem to mind it, but of course Yang was having a field day, while Weiss kept threatening the boy if he dared to use the 'opportunity' to grab a feel.

"And done!" He celebrated as Pyrrha walked around feeling very comfortable with her tail in the open. She smiled and gave Jaune a small peck in his cheeks.

"It is perfect." She said as she grabbed her weapons, Jaune gently held her shoulders for a moment.

"Be careful, OK? We didn't have time to see if those changes affected you negatively in combat, and I am pretty sure Cardin is planning something." Pyrrha smiled and bit her lips happily seeing her partner concerned over her.

"I am fine, Jaune. I am sure my tail will provide me improved balance and my fox ears will enhance my perception of the battlefield." She said gently touching the boy's forearms.

"And your tail is a new place they can grab or hit, and your enhanced hearing means more distracting sounds, aside making loud sounds hurting more. And I won't put beyond Cardin to cheat. So, promise you will be careful." Pyrrha smiled brightly at Jaune's concern. It was proof of how deeply he cared about her, despite her changes.

"Ms. Nikos, are you ready?" Ms. Goodwitch asked as she entered the locker room, ruining the moment. Pyrrha sighed and nodded, following the teacher towards the arena, as her friends got to the bleachers and sat down. Team CRDL was there, ready, though no one noticed anything unusual at first with their attire and weapons. Ms. Goodwitch was reminding both sides of the rules, and Pyrrha was already wearing her fighting face, while team CRDL had stupid smiles on their own.

"You gave some good pointers back there. Since when you become so knowledgeable about the Faunus?" Blake asked from behind to Jaune, which kept his eyes on team CRDL.

"When you told us about how you are a… fun loving person, I decided that knowing more about my friends was something I needed if I was to support them." Blake blushed a little at that. She knew he was good hearted, but going that extra mile was unexpected. "Besides, if I am going to be a Huntsman, I need to know about both my enemies and the people I am going to protect."

"Wow, vomit boy. That was nice of you. Should I be worried about you making moves on my partner now?" Yang said completely ruining the mood and receiving death glares from Blake, but Jaune was worried about the fight in the arena.

As soon as the battle started Pyrrha was all over team CRDL. It was true that they were fighting more coherently that time, more coordinated, but Pyrrha was faster and had a more develop technique. True to her word, her tail provided her even more accurate balance; and her movements were more fluid and precise, the enemy's weapons barely able to get close to her.

She quickly hit both Sky and Russell with her shield, sending them backwards, with Dove receiving several trusts from her spear. Cardin attacked with his mace, but Pyrrha easily blocked it and kicked his exposed belly. She did some back flips and changed her weapon into carbine mode, shooting the boys chest plates.

As they tried to dodge or block the bullets she jumped over them and using her weapon in sword mode she dealt a great amount of damage. As Jaune warned her Russell tried to grab her tail, but she was aware of that weak spot and spun before he could do that, and the only thing the boy had from her was two swift kicks to the face, what hurt more considering her shoes were covered in metal plates. She bashed Cardin with her shield and stabbed the other boys with her spear, in clear advantage in that battle, despite not using her Semblance yet.

"Yeah, I think that one is a given to our Invincible Girl." Yang said as she smiled seeing team CRDL at the end of a humiliating beating.

"Maybe now they will learn to leave us alone. Though considering those troglodytes small brains, I might be hoping too much." Weiss added, making Ruby giggle at the word 'troglodyte'.

"You are still worried?" Ren asked Jaune, which kept his eyes on team CRDL.

"They were really certain they had a chance. And I don't think this is about Pyrrha's fox thing." The knight answered while his friends cheered for Pyrrha.

As if on cue, something unexpected happened.

Pyrrha was in close combat with Dove and Russell when some type of liquid was flung from the boys' wrists towards her eyes. As she mentally thanked Jaune for the heads up, she closed her eyes before the mysterious liquid could hit them, but as she once again back flipped to a safer zone, she noticed the 'liquid' was some type of sticky goo. She tried to clean her eyes with her glove, but the goo didn't come out. She didn't dared to try to open her eyes in fear the liquid could damage them, and soon found Jaune was right in other aspects.

She trained blind fighting before, and so she tried to use her ears to locate and deal with her enemies, but the extra set of ears made difficulty for her to focus in the right sounds and clear her mind of the background noise. With difficulty to focus, soon she saw herself in the end of team CRDL unrelenting attack. She was surrounded and unable to block all the attacks thrown at her.

She noticed the desperate shouts of her friends from the bleachers, and the clicks and clacks of her enemies' weapons against her, forcing her to her knees. She couldn't use her semblance as too much metal was around her to focus properly. For the first time in a while Pyrrha felt she was at the brink of defeat, and realized she hated that feeling.

"Let's finish this, boys, and teach this animal her place."

The voice of Cardin filled with disdain and hate made Pyrrha's blood boil. She always found deplorable people that were prejudicial to Faunus, and now she knew a little how it felt to be on the short end of the stick. Letting Cardin and his team win was out of question. She couldn't allow this. She wouldn't be defeated by someone like that. She would win, no matter how.

Team CRDL jumped all at once towards Pyrrha. They were going to end that as painfully as possible.

But they stopped midair, somehow floating. In front of their armor was a blue and white flame, like holding them. That was when they looked at Pyrrha with her hand extended, the hand also covered in that blue and white flame. But that wasn't the only change they observed at her.

Her tail became all white, and somehow the same flames created eight other white tails. The flames removed the sticky goo from her eyes and she opened them as she slowly got up, her green eyes shining brightly with their own light. She grinned at team CRDL, which flailed around helpless. At the bleachers, everyone stood in silent surprise. Miss Goodwitch eyes were wide open, and she couldn't understand what was happening. Jaune just clenched his fists.

Pyrrha grinned and with a swift movement of her hand she made the four boys collide against each other, than with another movement she pushed them down against the hard floor, a painful sound echoing around. The boys weren't able to fight anymore as she walked slowly at them and sat at Cardin's back, since he was atop the pile, letting her weight all against him, the boy letting an 'oof' sound out. She crossed her legs and smiled at Ms. Goodwitch, as her eyes and tail returned to normal.

"Did I won, Ms. Goodwitch?" She asked, finally broken the teacher from her surprised state.

"Yes, Ms. Nikos, you definitely won." The teacher said as she checked her scroll. "But next time, avoid this unnecessary attitude. It does not fit you such show."

"Sorry, I think I let their attitude affect me." Pyrrha apologized as she got up, now back on her usual polite mode.

"Pyr!"

She had no time to react as Jaune hugged her tightly, and she didn't complain as she hugged him back. That was a better reward than any prize money or trophy she ever received. The boy just sighed relieved she was OK. When their eyes met Pyrrha felt happy, and gently touched his cheek. The mood was ruined when Nora barraged Pyrrha with questions.

"Pyrrha! That was AWESOME! How you did that? You were all flamey and had nine tails and your eyes where shining that incredible beauty green and…"

"Nora, calm down." Ren said as he dragged her back, Jaune and Pyrrha braking from their hug, both blushing in different ways.

"That was something." Yang said as she approached with the rest of team Ruby. "What exactly you did there, Super Pyrrha?"

"I just used my Semblance as always." Pyrrha shrugged, as she didn't notice anything unusual.

"That is not how it always goes." Blake showed footage of the battle she filmed with her scroll. Pyrrha looked honestly surprised at it, as she didn't noticed anything different on herself except her anger over team CRDL.

"Well, that was indeed something." Was all the Spartan could say.

"We will talk about Ms. Nikos abilities later. First, I want to know exactly what this is." Ms. Goodwitch said as she grabbed Dove and Russell wrists and exposed the containers of the mysterious liquid they used against Pyrrha. "I am pretty sure this is not allowed under tournament rules."

"And this freak magic is?" Cardin questioned before being whacked in the head by Ms. Goodwitch.

"I will also have a long talk with you about your prejudicial attitude against your classmates, Mr. Winchester." She threatened as she made the boys stand up. "Mr. Arc, take your partner to the training grounds, and make sure to test all of her abilities. I would prefer to not have any surprises further on."

"Sure thing, Ms. Goodwitch." He said as he was motioning to walk out.

"And Mr. Arc, better make sure her attitude today was just this one time."

Both he and his friends nodded before rushing out of the arena. Pyrrha had a childish smile as she noted Jaune was holding her hand.

…

"Aside the fact that her power manifest now as those blue flames, everything seems normal." Ren stated as both teams entered JNPR's room. "We couldn't make Pyrrha manifest her nine tailed mode, though."

"And your punches still hurt. Ouch." Ruby complained a she sat in Jaune's bed.

"Sorry." Pyrrha said as she sat on her bed. Actually, Jaune sat in her bed and she sat on Jaune, hugging his neck.

"And I still think you should stop being so… close, to Arc." Weiss complained with her arms crossed over her chest. "It is not proper, and beneath a champion like you."

"Weiss, are you jealous?" Ruby asked making Weiss blush madly and flail her arms.

"Why I would be jealous of that dork?"

"So, it is Pyrrha you are jealous of?" Blake deadpanned, making Weiss shake her arms harder.

"OF COURSE NOT!" She yelled and everyone laughed, and Jaune gently forced Pyrrha off his lap, making the redhead put a little.

"Prof. Port said that my physical abilities are just as 'impressive' as before, and aside the change in my Semblance's appearance, it is still polarity. So I think I am still OK." Pyrrha finished the discussion as she brushed her tail with her fingers. "I need new clothes…"

"Oh hoho! Tomorrow after class we will do a shopping trip!" Yang said; Ruby and Nora celebrating.

"I know some stores specialized in Faunus clothes. They will have clothes that will take your tail in consideration." Blake said and Pyrrha nodded in agreement. At that moment Jaune's scroll rang and he took the call. For his surprise it was his sister Mia.

"Sis? How are you?" He asked and gave his sister a curious look.

"Hey, little brother. Glad to see you are all right. I miss you! Oh crap, that is not why I am calling. I see Pyrrha is there, good, this make thing easier. I have some news for you, and you might dislike it…" Mia said as Jaune's scroll opened a screen, showing a few articles from the internet.

Everyone blushed there as Jaune started to shout some of the dirtiest profanities they ever heard.

…

 **A.N. I admit I kind of based Pyrrha's super fox mode in Ahri from League of Legends, I really dig her desigh. XD**

 **This story will go to some dark places from now on, so be prepared. I think this one story will be longer than expected too, and I prepared some surprises down the road, hope you all enjoy it. :3**


	3. Unseen Enemies

It took some time before Jaune stopped swearing. They couldn't blame him as his scroll changed from hand to hand. Many pictures of fox Pyrrha could be seem, and some of them have being edited in disgusting ways. A lot of people left comments on how 'gross' Pyrrha become, others were even threatening her with beatings and sometimes worse things. The ones 'praising' her new features weren't better either. The redhead herself used all of her willpower to not cry over the mean comments targeted at her.

"The internet have being like this for a while, so I thought it was better to give you all a heads-up." Mia apologized as she saw through the scroll camera how disturbed her brother's friends were.

"How dare those people that don't even know Pyrrha said such horrible things! And making such… indecent and gross image forgery!" Weiss shouted as she gave the scroll back to Jaune, unable to look at the more indecent pictures.

"I have being tracking those kinds of things for a while, since I saw the first pictures of Pyrrha around. What you want to do, little brother?" Jaune breathed hard and thought for a while, trying to not let his desire to unleash hell on every single one of those people dominate him.

"If we take any open action this will blow up even more. And I know even for you it is impossible to make all of those disappear, Mia." His sister looked sadly at her brother, knowing he was right.

"True, the best I can do is tracking their virtual addresses." Jaune gave it some more thought before coming up with a strategy.

"Mia, can you send the addresses of everyone doing anything remotely criminal to the police?" She smiled and nodded positively. "All the others… I think their computers could use a virus or two?"

"Done and done little brother. I will keep a program running to give those bastards virtual hell. Damn, if Maika knew how to use a computer for more than sending messages and looking at cat pictures I am sure real hell would happens." Mia said and smiled at Pyrrha. "Don't worry, we have your back."

"Thanks…" Pyrrha said unenergetically. Jaune patted her back, but no smile come.

"Pyr, those are ignorant people that use the anonymity of the web to be awful. Don't let them affect you." His reassurance made Pyrrha give him a weak smile.

"Jaune is right. Let's ignore them!" Ruby supported, her energetic reaction made Pyrrha giggle.

"Besides, we will kick the butt off anyone that dares to say that to your face." Yang said as she cracked her knuckles.

"Please don't. Jaune is right, if we give them mind, they won't go away soon. That is what those trolls want, attention. Let's ignore them and with time they will find something else to be horrible about." Pyrrha then just nested her head on Jaune's lap and smiled. "I just… I just need a nap."

"Well, I think we should give you two some alone time then." Yang said as she took Ruby and Nora with her. "And I must say vomit boy, I never knew you could swear like a sailor."

"I never knew you could swear in so many languages." Blake wondered as she followed Yang.

"Just… forget about it. Let's just say you learn a lot when you go to a navy school." Jaune chuckled as his friends left and closed the door, his hand gently caressing Pyrrha's fox ears.

"Thanks Jaune. You are the best partner I could ask for." Pyrrha said in a low voice, making Jaune smile.

"Everything will be all right, Pyr. I will be by your side."

"Hmm, that is just fantastic. But when I wake up you will tell me all about navy school" She answered before finally falling asleep.

…

The next day was hectic, to say the least. The media caught notice of Pyrrha's transformation and was making a bigger fuzz of it than they expected. They learned from Ms. Goodwitch that a dozen paparazzi were caught trying to enter school ground s and, in the teacher's words, dealt with extreme prejudice. The students were still talking about it, but no one dared to be mean to Pyrrha. She just felt sad her Faunus friends were still avoiding her.

Classes had gone as usual, the teachers simple accepting Pyrrha was like that now and paid no mind to her changes. Lunch arrived soon, and to avoid prying eyes, they decided to grab their food and have lunch at the gardens, in a more secluded space.

"Say ah…" Pyrrha was happily feeding Jaune, another personality trait they wondered if it was due her new nature. Jaune humored the girl by eating the food, since she was finally back in a good mood.

"Aren't this foxtastic? Eh, eh?" Yang joked but everyone just groaned.

"You know, I was wondering, isn't there some legends about nine tailed foxes?" Ruby spoke as she stuffed her face with cookies.

"Indeed there is. My village has some stories about them. They are free spirits, powerful especially in the field of illusion, and they are prone to do pranks for their own amusement. If left alone they are usually inoffensive though, no more than small inconveniences." Ren answered as he slowly ate his food, amused by Pyrrha's affectionate ways with Jaune.

"And aren't you in a mission close to your village just a day before Pyrrha changed?" Ren looked surprised at Ruby, since he failed to connect those two events together.

"But her tail is very real. And so cute… Anyway, we know that this is no illusion." Weiss added as she still looked annoyed at Pyrrha change in behavior.

"Some legends talk about spirits possessing humans." Ren confirmed, and Pyrrha and Jaune finally paid some attention to them.

"So, are you saying I might be possessed by a fox spirit?" Pyrrha questioned, now with a worried look.

"I am not. I don't have the knowledge to determine that, and that is if we assume those old tales of my people are even real." Ren affirmed firmly.

"Assuming that this is a possibility, is it dangerous to Pyrrha somehow?" Jaune asked; more concerned with the well being of his partner than the reasons why she changed.

"Unlikely. Most tales of spirit possession have the spirit possessing the person for only a day for a bit of fun and leaving. The dangerous tales usually involve evil spirits possessing the dead or the weak of heart, neither case apply to Pyrrha. I will call my village; see if they can send someone more knowledgeable about spirit lore than me." Ren tapped a message on his scroll.

"Would a spirit possession explain why Pyrrha have being so… caring towards Jaune?" Ruby asked as they saw Pyrrha once again nuzzling his neck. She looked very happy now, and with the exception of Weiss everyone actually liked those displays of affection.

"It is said that sometimes spirits help people with... revealing their true feelings. So if that is the case, what we are seeing is just Pyrrha being more honest to herself." Ren finished, and they all could agree that Pyrrha wasn't one much honest with her feelings.

"Well, that is grand and all but do not change what I am now. So, how about we finish our lunch and go visit those shops Blake told me about?" Pyrrha received concerned looks from her friends. "What?"

"Pyrrha, there is dozens of paparazzi trying to get a picture of you." Blake started concerned.

"So what, I am used to it."

"But not the Faunus. I don't think they will appreciate the sudden attention. They are already trying their hardest with all the White Fang activities sending them in a frenzy. And I was not going to bring this up…" Blake hesitated for a moment.

"Blake?" Jaune inquired, and she resumed speaking.

"The White Fang is not exactly acceptant of your new condition."

"I don't care about them." Pyrrha snarled and Blake sighed.

"Pyrrha, they have being posting death threats against you in their secret sites. They think you are a fraud, and that you are just trying some PR stunt. And those aren't angry teenagers in their parent's house. They might try something." Blake's news shocked them a lot.

"I can protect myself." Pyrrha affirmed, but Blake nodded in disagreement.

"If they attack you, the repercussion will be disastrous for you and the Faunus. You will be thrown in the center of attention far longer, and this would make all Faunus look like violent and intolerant. So please, Pyrrha, just stay away from public eye until things calm down."

"I will not hide myself! I have done nothing wrong!" Pyrrha protested, and things just didn't escalate because Jaune interfered.

"Blake, send this information to Mia." He asked politely. "She will track those sites down and give the info to the police so they could arrest whoever is threatening my partner."

"Jaune, I can't. It took me a lot of work to get into these and I need the information they provide to track bigger fish…" Blake said apologetic, but Jaune glared daggers at her, an expression he never, ever used on his friends.

"Blake, I know you are looking at the bigger picture and you mean well, but nobody threatens my friends. So, please, give this info to Mia, or I will have her take it from you, and I don't want to." Blake sighed and sent the info to Jaune's sister. She felt guilty of putting her own objectives over the safety of a friend. "Thank you."

"So, can we go out now?" Pyrrha asked, and Jaune hugged her gently.

"Sorry, but no." Pyrrha looked surprised at Jaune.

"What, but Mia…"

"Mia will take at least a few hours to track everyone, and even after that it will take days before the police arrest them all. And even if the White Fang was not a problem, there are the paparazzi, the all other lunatics that posted death threats against you and all the people that are curious about this." He said, and Pyrrha eyes teared a bit.

"So, am I supposed to hide from the world?"

"No, of course not! Just gave it a week so all this commotion can die down."

"Jaune, this is so unfair! There is nothing wrong with me and I did nothing wrong to have to hide like that!" Jaune tightened the hug and Pyrrha started calming down.

"Yes, it is unfair! But all we ask if for you to wait maybe a week so all this damned commotion can die down. As soon as my sister says it, we just return to normal."

"Thank you… for everything." She hugged him back and relaxed. Everyone pitied her and the unfairness being cast upon their friend.

…

"Pyrrha, I am sorry. I put my desire to put the White Fang down before our friendship…" Blake apologized later that night, as the two girls stood alone in JNPR's room. She was regretting not having done what Jaune asked from the begin with, and felt even worse when he easily forgive her and understood her reasons.

"Blake, I understand. You are trying to protect your people. I wish I could be of help to them too." The Spartan rested a reassuring hand on Blake's shoulder, and the black haired girl smiled shyly.

"Look, I will do my best to help you as I can. It might not be much, but you always were nice to me, even after learning my secret, and to all Faunus we met. If the Faunus knew that, maybe we would be more accepting of your current circumstances."

"That would be nice. Just… don't beat yourself over it OK. I will just have to sit tight for a while. And I need all my friends more than ever." Pyrrha assured Blake and they smiled at each other.

…

Pyrrha walked around the city and smiled.

Sure, she snuck out of Beacon despite her friends asking her to wait, but after two days she got tired of staying in the same place for so long. She was wearing Jaune's hood and a long skirt that hid her tail, and a pair of sunglasses. Her long hair was now put in a bun behind her head, and till that moment nobody recognized her. She didn't hid her ears though, curious to see how people would react to her new 'Faunus' nature.

She decided she wanted to eat a chocolate cake from her favorite store, and walked there. The place was nice and cozy, if a bit expensive, but she couldn't resist their chocolate cake. She smiled as she looked at their display, and called for an attendant. She noticed though that the girl looked her in a not very welcoming way.

"May I help you?" Pyrrha's ears were able to catch the ill disposition in the attendant's voice.

"Yes, I want a slice of your chocolate cake." The redhead voice sounded as pleasant as always, but the attendant seemed dissatisfied.

"It is 30 lien." That sounded odd, as Pyrrha never was told the price beforehand.

"Yes, I know…"

"Pay beforehand, please." At that moment the Spartan realized that the attendant didn't thought she had the money to pay up. Pyrrha gave the money, and quickly the attendant put the cake slice in a box and a bag, not even asking if she wanted to eat there. "Here, thanks."

"You know, I loved to come here. A shame this will be the last time." Pyrrha said as she took the cake and walked away leaving a confused attendant. As soon as she stepped outside she gave the cake to a Faunus child that was looking eager from outside. The kid gave Pyrrha a big smile and ran off somewhere.

Dejected over the treatment she received from the cake shop, Pyrrha decided to go to the Faunus district and see if her luck was better there. While the place wasn't as pretty as the usual places she go, she was happy that at least at the beginning nobody treated her badly or different, and that nobody recognized her.

She decided to find a cake shop around, and while she walked she didn't notice that she was getting lost in the unfamiliar district, or that there were three people tailing her. She soon found herself in a deserted alley with no exit, and as she turned back she was grabbed by two Faunus boys. One of them removed her sunglasses.

"See, I told you it was her." The smaller one said, proud of his 'accomplishment'.

"Yeah, she thinks she is a Faunus, how cute!" The bigger one holding Pyrrha talked, his hands gripping on her arms too hard.

"Now let's show this impostor what happens with fake Faunus." The third one, an older man spoke in a creepy voice. He had a few scars in his face, and one of his dog ears was missing a bit.

"Let me go!" Pyrrha protested and one of the boys laughed.

"Shut up champs, we just want to show what happens when humans think how funny it is to wear fake ears and tails." He pushed her fox ears hard and she yelled in pain. That surprised the two boys. "Tom, I don't think those are fake…"

"Yeah, those ears are real!" the smaller boy shouted.

"It doesn't matter if they are! She is no Faunus! She is not one of us! Let's just cut those ears of her!" The one called Tom yelled as he drew a knife. To Pyrrha's despair, the blade was made of ceramics, so she couldn't use her Semblance on it. "You will be back to 'normal' in no time, pretty face!"

Pyrrha could get away from those boys. She could easily defeat them, but not without hurting them and having to call the cops and an ambulance. They didn't have their Auras unlocked, she could tell, and therefore they wouldn't co unscathed. She understood now why Blake was so careful while dealing with the White Fang. If she reacted there was no way to know what would be the repercussions.

"T-Tom, you said we would just scare her and remove the f-fake ears, b-but we will hurt her if you do that!" The smaller boy gagged, and Tom glared against him.

"Do you want to be on the White Fang or not? So hold her tight while I cut those off!" Tom said as he flailed the ceramic knife around. At that moment a pair of delicate fingers held the blade, and instantly the blade turned into dust.

They looked at the owner of the fingers to see Velvet Scarlatina standing there, her usual smile in her face. But Pyrrha knew better. That was a deadly smile that she only saw a few times while the bunny transformed Grimm into paste. Tom tried to hit the girl, but she swiftly kicked him in the guts and sent him flying inside a dumpster. She slowly walked towards Pyrrha, and the two young Faunus just let her go and ran away as fast as they could.

"Are you OK, Pyrrha?" Velvet said, now with a genuine smile.

"Yeah, thanks for the save."

"Just paying a favor back." Velvet affirmed as she took Pyrrha's hand. "Come on, I know a place you can relax."

…

Pyrrha sat in the improvised food court as Velvet grabbed some food from Aunt Sallie food cart and served the Spartan. Pyrrha remembered the day Jaune stood up to Cardin over his bullying of the bunny girl, the favor she talked back at the alley. She felt proud of him that day, and for a while the bullying stopped. That day Pyrrha understood even if a little bit how much Velvet suffered and why she never fought back despite being so strong.

"Why you didn't fought back, Pyrrha?" Velvet asked as they started to eat.

"Because I couldn't do it without hurting them, and the people way to curious about my life would play how I beat some Faunus kids up, or how the Faunus attacked me." Pyrrha explained as she ate the delicious food served.

"Yeah, I can relate to that. You know why I never fought back against Cardin?" The redhead just signalized her to continue. "Because when I was in combat school and fought back, things just escalated more and more, till the day I put three kids in the hospital that tried to cut my ears. And instead of the prejudice dying down, they started attacking the children that couldn't defend themselves as I could."

"So by holding back you believed you were protecting the other Faunus." Pyrrha concluded.

"Yes. I still believe it. See this entire White Fang thing. While Faunus lives still are hard as you can see, it is getting worse every time the White Fang do an attack, no matter how much they convinced themselves they are protecting us." Velvet looked tired over that comment, and Pyrrha held her hand in support.

"Humans don't make it easier. Just today I got awfully treated at my favorite cake shop just because now I have these ears."

"And that is not the worst things that happen to us, dear." Aunt Sallie said as she sat with the girls, the old sheep Faunus smiling at Pyrrha. "Try to find a decent place to live, or a good job despite being qualified. That is why so many youngsters are being draw by the lies the White Fang tell them, like the boys that attacked you. We will have to talk with them. Also, that Tom guy, I will make sure he is not around anymore."

"Thanks. And I am sorry…" Pyrrah said surprising Aunt Sallie. "I know my sudden change might sound like I am doing something inappropriate, but I give my word that I had no control over those changes." Aunt Sallie gently touched Pyrrha's ears and smiled.

"So many people would be ashamed of those, even many Faunus. Yet you, born human, don't seem to be. Maybe you, one day, could be a bridge for us." Aunt Sallie voice held some hopeful tone that Pyrrha could sympathize with.

"If it is up to my friends, which might come sooner than we expect. One day I should bring Jaune here, once you meet him you will understand."

"Jaune Arc? How is the boy? It has being weeks since he last visited me." Auntie Sallie said in a happier tone, and Pyrrha was caught surprised. "He comes here often, always promising to bring his amazing friends one day. He acts like he doesn't even know the difference between a human and a Faunus."

"Yeah, that sounds like Jaune." Both Velvet and Pyrrha spoke at the same time, sharing a laugh.

"So, here, take some food to him, and tell him that as soon as you can I want him and all his friends here." She demanded and Pyrrha winked in affirmation.

…

"PYR!"

Jaune hugged her tight, after spending all day searching for her. He was almost calling his sisters to locate his missing partner. Pyrrha felt incredible guilty as she hugged him back, and both ignored the stares of their friends, and the fact that Nora and Ruby cooed them. She sighed and looked at her partner face.

"I am sorry. You were right, I should have stayed put for a while." She said and he sighed relieved.

"Yeah, you should. I was thinking the worse you know."

"I am sorry." She affirmed again, and Jaune could only smile back. "So, what you were up too that Velvet needed to call me and tell she found you?"

Pyrrha described most of her day, except for the incident with the White Fang member, something that she had to beg Velvet to keep a secret. Her friends got angry on every little tale of Pyrrha being mistreated over her fox ears, and even Weiss found deplorable someone being treated badly just because of that. They all long learned that Weiss didn't really hate the Faunus, but all the bitter experiences she had with the White Fang made hard for her to just trust them at first sight.

"So, what you will do now?" Blake asked Pyrrha, and she just snuggled back at Jaune as they were all back in JNPR's room, including Velvet. They shared the delicious food Auntie Sallie made, and made both Jaune and Pyrrha promise that they would go there as soon as possible

"It won't be easy, but as soon as all this excitement over my new looks pass, I will just accept it and live my life the better I can."

"No Pyrrha, you are coming home immediately."

They turned around to see a tall woman with hair as red as Pyrrha's, just cu shorter. She wore a greek-styled red and cooper dress, and they immediately realized who she was even before Pyrrha could speak in surprise.

"Mom?"


	4. Someone to Fall Back To

It wasn't helping everyone's nerves that Jaune was walking around team RWBY's room nonstop. Not that they could fault him while his partner was locked with her mother in JNPR's room for about an hour. The way Pyrrha's mother ordered her daughter to come back with her showed them that that conversation wasn't going to be a friendly one.

Nora was silent, something unusual for her, and looking at her feet as she sat with Ren atop Yang's bunker. Blake, Weiss and Yang were sitting on Weiss' bed trying to remain collected, despite them too being nervous and worried, while Ruby and Velvet nervously followed Jaune around the room. Even Zwei looked concerned at the door.

And as Yang was about to say some bad joke to try to light the mood the door opened and Pyrrha threw herself in Jaune's arms, trying her best to not cry. He caressed the back of her hair as Pyrrha's mother entered the room, a displeased look in her face. There was a moment of deafening silence before she spoke.

"Pyrrha, there is nothing to be discussed anymore. I am taking you back with me to Mistral." She ordered, taking everyone aback for a second before Pyrrha turned back, still clinging on Jaune.

"No, I am not going back! I am not sick!"

"Pyrrha, it is not normal what happened to you. I already contacted a doctor that will be able to help you!" Her mother argued, but Pyrrha angrily looked at her.

"Help me? By cutting off my ears and tail?" Everyone was once again taking aback by that. They already knew those surgeries were dangerous and could cripple Pyrrha, or worse. The fact her mother was willing to do that was disconcerting.

"Pyrrha, please! What do you think your future will be looking like that?" That sentence irked Blake and Velvet, and angered Jaune.

"And what exactly is wrong with my looks?" Pyrrha was doing her hardest to not start yelling.

"Hun, do you know how much the Faunus suffer? You don't! This is not me asking you to get rid of a tattoo or die your hair. It is me asking you to not punish yourself! Ask your Faunus friend over there if she could say that if she had a chance to look human she would never consider it!"

Blake and Velvet couldn't retort that. Both suffered because of their heritage, and both cried to sleep wishing they weren't Faunus more than once. The fact that Velvet could openly live as a Faunus took a lot of effort and courage from her, and Blake was still to openly assume her Faunus heritage. They couldn't blame Pyrrha if she took the chance.

"I will not bow down to please others, mom. My friends accept me, and if completely strangers don't like it they can go…"

"Pyrrha! It is not just about dealing with racists! It is about opportunities you will lose! Do you know Pumpkin Pete's in cancelling your sponsorship?" That revelation shocked everyone inside the room.

"Wait, why?" Pyrrha looked a bit dejected over the news.

"People are saying they will boycott the cereal over the use of your image. And that is not the only sponsor that called me wanting to cancel our contracts. And you probably don't even know how disappointed some of your fans are." Pyrrha finally snapped at it.

"My fans? I don't care what people that never met me, that know nothing about me think! And I don't want a bunch of racists to be my fans or sponsor me! They only care about my performance at tournaments and that fake image they have of me that we created to sell stupid cereal boxes that I hate!" She yelled, but her mother didn't budge.

"And who do you think paid all our bills, which allowed you to grow up in a comfortable life after your father died?"

"So, that is what this is about? Money? About how much money the fact that I changed we will lose? I don't care about it! If the tournaments won't allow me to provide to myself, I will just become a Huntress as I always wanted!"

"Like your father? The one that died when you were just five and left us alone? Pyrrha, did you forgot all we suffered those years before you started competing? And you now want to subject yourself to the same suffering over some childish idea that everything will be all right?" Pyrrha was now crying, and it was about to retort when a commanding voice cut her off.

"Enough!" They all looked surprised at Jaune Arc, who somehow stood tall and proud like a general while holding Pyrrha close to him, his face calm but menacing. "Mrs. Nikos, it is clear both of you are in the need to cool off. The important thing here is not Pyrrha's career, it is her well being, both physically and mentally, and clearly your concern right now is not that. So I suggest you to calm down and think about what your daughter wants."

"Who are you boy?" Mrs. Nikos questioned as she evaluated Jaune. He didn't look like much of a warrior to her, but clearly he had some influence on Pyrrha.

"Jaune Arc, your daughter's partner and team leader. I can assure you that on whatever is within my powers I will help your daughter to overcome all obstacles in her way." His reassurance made Pyrrha smile for a bit, but apparently failed to impress Mrs. Nikos.

"Ah, so you are the boy that Pyrrha can't stop talking about. I imagined you to be more impressive the way she talked about you." She didn't hide the demeaning tone in her voice, and that didn't escape anyone in that room, even Jaune.

"I might not be… yet. But here is how I see it, only one of us is worrying about Pyrrha Nikos, the teenage girl that suddenly saw her life changing, while the other is clearly worried about Pyrrha Nikos, the four times Mistral champion and cereal box cover. So I suggest you to go somewhere where you can think about your daughter, not your bank account."

For a second even Mrs. Nikos got silent. Nobody expected that Jaune could be so blunt about it, but clearly he was worried about Pyrrha, and wouldn't let her mother do as she pleased if he could do something about it. This time was the chance Ren decided to interfere.

"Clearly everybody here is not thinking with a clear head. Mrs. Nikos, we will talk with your daughter, so would you kindly return tomorrow so we can have a calm discussion about this rather unique situation?"

"You are all children. If you think that sticking together and saying nice things to each other will solve your problems, you are all wrong. I will come back tomorrow; hoping that you all realized that what is best for Pyrrha now is not idealism." Mrs. Nikos turned away and walked through the door. Ruby couldn't close that door fast enough, and Pyrrha finally let her emotions get the best of her as she started cried and had Jaune hold her in her feet and sit with her in Blake's bed.

Nobody said a thing while Pyrrha cried. Jaune could just caress her hair. Nora and Ruby started crying too, Yang consoling her sister and Ren his not-girlfriend. Everyone else just sat in silent support to her friend. After what felt like hours, Pyrrha finally calmed enough, but instead of talking, she fell asleep. Jaune carefully put her in Blake's bed.

"That was awful…" Ruby finally spoke in a whisper.

"I never knew Pyrrha's mother could be so… unpleasant." Weiss added as she finally relaxed and let her body gave up as she lay down in her bed.

"You know what is worse? She wasn't doing that because she wanted to be mean…" Some curious eyes set on Jaune as he talked, still caressing Pyrrha's hair. "In her own way, she was thinking she was protecting Pyrrha."

"Yeah, right…" Yang said, now a bit angry that Jaune was defending the older woman that dared to make Pyrrha cry.

"Jaune is not wrong." Surprisingly the one talking was Blake. "What Pyrrha is trading here is a wealthy, comfortable life full of opportunities for one where people will judge her by her appearance, where the opinions of others will affect her life and where people will deny her things she always had because she is different now."

"Could we really blame a mother for wanting their children would never suffer such things?" Velvet added, and they all let small sounds to show they were not pleased with that situation.

"I am sorry…" They all looked at Weiss as she said that. "My family… the things we have done…"

"Weiss, don't blame yourself. You have nothing to do with it, and even if some people on your family are at fault, they are not the only ones." Blake said, but Weiss didn't answer.

"I don't think Pyrrha is unaware of all the challenges she is heading into. But is up to her to make a decision. All we can do is support her decision." Jaune said finishing the discussion.

…

"Jaune?"

The boy opened his eyes to see Pyrrha once again slipped into his bed, but this time she held a sad expression. He hugged her gently and pushed her close, and Pyrrha felt warm and protected with that. They had a hard day, and Jaune thought she was still sleeping in RWBY's room. He just waited for Pyrrha to talk.

"Don't think badly of my mom. She worked so hard when my dad died so I could have a minimum of comfort. So when I started competing and getting all that prize money and sponsorships I felt happy, you know? I was helping us to have a good life and she wasn't working twelve hours a day anymore."

"Pyr, I don't question your mother love for you, just the way she is looking at this situation."

"To her, I losing fans, sponsorships mean a return to those awful days after my father's death. To me, they mean nothing. I can still participate in competitions; I can get sponsors that don't care if I am human or Faunus. Sure it won't be easy, and certainly I will have to deal with all this undeserved hate towards me. But as long as the people I love are with me, I will always have somewhere to fall back into when things get to hard."

"You can always count on me, Pyr. I might not surmount much, but I will always be here for you." Pyrrha left out a content sigh before snuggling her partner.

"Can I sleep here? I feel safe with you."

"Always."

Pyrrha dozed off almost immediately, and her smile made Jaune relaxes. He knew Pyrrha's hardships wouldn't end so soon, but once he promised he would be a hero, he would protect people. And he decided that very night that the first people he would protect was his partner that made so much for him already.

…

Ruby was about to knock the door in team JNPR's room when the door opened. When they didn't found Pyrrha sleeping in the room they got worried, but as soon as they saw she was inside her room they relaxed. When they notice everyone had worried expressions they also start to worry.

"Jaune, what is happening?" Ruby asked her friend, Jaune left out a displeased groan and got up with Pyrrha clinging on his arm.

"Mrs. Nikos is talking with Ozpin. The headmaster called for Pyrrha." He explained and they all let out a collective displeased grunt.

"We are going with you, cereal girl. Moral support and all that. Besides, if things get ugly Jaune could start swearing again. I am pretty sure he can swear a Grimm into submission." She said, and the light joke lightened the mood a little.

They all walked together towards the headmaster room, but the way they walked and looked, they could be as well walking to their execution. In the middle of the way they met Coco and Velvet, and the two girls joined their entourage. When they entered the room, they saw Ms. Goodwitch and Ozpin talking with Mrs. Nikos, while Dr. Verd was standing aside, a very displeased look on her face. Mrs. Nikos was speaking unaware the teens entered the room.

"I do not doubt Dr. Verd competence as a medic, Ozpin. I doubt her partiality over the surgery issue."

"My partiality on the issue, Mrs. Nikos, is that Remnant Medical Counsel, which is made almost exclusively of humans, also condemns Faunus reassignment surgery as experimental, dangerous, and prone to leave horrible sequels on the patient, without any social benefit whatsoever. And that is not even considering all the questionable ethics and morality of such procedures." They were a bit surprised that Dr. Verd sounded and looked angry, something many of them thought impossible.

"The doctors I am consulting with are respected, have performed those before and assured me there is minimal risk involved." Mrs. Nikos retorted, and Pyrrha sighed and started speaking.

"So, is the risk of me ending up in a wheelchair to look human again worth, mom?" They turned around to see the rather large group waiting.

"Ah, Ms. Nikos, glad to have you. I will have to ask the rest of you to leave though, as this is a private matter." Ozpin said in his usual tone.

"I am Pyrrha's partner and team leader, I am not leaving." Jaune stated as a matter of fact, and Ozpin conceded he would not leave unless forced.

"Very well. Ms. Goodwitch, make sure the rest of them go to their classes. Tell the staff that Ms. Nikos and Mr. Arc are excused for the rest of the day."

The unhappy group was almost shoved out by Ms. Goodwitch, while Jaune and Pyrrha sat side by side at the chairs offered by Ozpin. Mrs. Nikos clearly looked at Jaune with distaste, but he ignored her. Ozpin sipped and his mug and waited a minute before restarting talking.

"Ms. Nikos, you mother wishes to remove you from Beacon and take you back to Mistral, where she believes a surgery to remove your new appendages would provide you with a less problematic life. First, I want to know if you are conscious what those surgeries entail."

"I researched them, yes. Ear removal has an incredible high chance of leaving nerve damage, causing constant excruciating pain and the need to use heavy painkillers for my whole life. Tail removal isn't as bad if done very early in childhood and the tail isn't connected to the spinal cord. In my case, where my tail is now an extension of my spine, I have a huge chance of ending losing the movement of my legs." Pyrrha researched those surgeries as soon as Dr. Verd mentioned them, and immediately dismissed them as too dangerous to be worth.

"Pyrrha, those are old surgeries, the new ones…" Dr. Verd interrupted them.

"The new ones are not approved or reviewed by the medical community, and while the doctors performing them say they are mostly safe, we strangely have a hard time finding the subjects of such interventions, under the reason that they don't want their Faunus heritage exposed. Or so they say."

"As I see it, mom, I either live my best as a Faunus and do exactly what I do in my competitions, take the challenge and win over it, or risk my health over a small chance of everything returning back to 'normal'. And honestly, I doubt that even if that leaves no sequels whatsoever, people will forgot what happened to me. So, I am not exactly enthralled about it."

"Pyrrha, at least talk with the doctors!" Mrs. Nikos begged her daughter, and Jaune noticed she gave for the first time since they met a motherly look at the redhead.

"Mom, please. I know things will be harder, but can you imagine how harder it will be if this surgery fails? And even if the techniques were tested, it is still a surgery we are talking about. I won't take a chance when I am healthy." Pyrrha used an honest, gentle voice to try to reason with her mother. For a second, it seemed to work.

"Pyrrha… I see that your friends have too much influence on you. I am taking you back with me, so you can have a clearer head." The simple mention of leaving struck Pyrrha hard, and she immediately clung on Jaune and gave Ozpin a pleading look.

"Well, I am sorry it seems we can't come to an agreement. But, I might remind you Mrs. Nikos that Pyrrha is seventeen, and the reason any Hunter-to-be need to be seventeen to enter this school, with only one notable exception, is because the law states that a seventeen years old person is fully responsible for their actions." Mrs. Nikos gave a murderous glare back at Ozpin. "Therefore if Ms. Nikos states her desire to remain at Beacon, she will remain at Beacon."

"That is ridiculous! My daughter is in no condition of making this decision!" Mrs. Nikos protested, and Jaune finally spoke.

"No, your daughter is perfectly fine. She isn't blindly taking a chance that might as well leave her crippled. Why can't you accept your daughter as a healthy Faunus girl?"

"What do you know about the Faunus, boy? What do you know about my daughter? Would you be by her side when the world turns its back to her?" Mrs. Nikos hissed at him. Jaune took his scroll and showed a picture of him with a baby Faunus girl in his lap.

"This is my youngest sister, Melody. My family adopted her six months ago. I couldn't be happier with that, and I will fight anyone that try to hurt my little baby sister. And that goes to all my Faunus friends too. And what I know about Pyrrha? I know she had a life full of opportunities and people that loved her, but that also put her in a stand so high she was being alienated from everyone. When I met her, I just saw a beautiful girl wanting to hunt monsters. I had no idea she was famous. Even so she wanted to be my partner, even after she realized I was an awful warrior, she stuck with me and helped me improve. If I would be by her side even if that mean the world going against me? Certain f**king thing, ma'am. I will ***** and ******** any ****** that f**king dare **** with her."

"While the colorful and reprehensible use of language by Mr. Arc certainly was unneeded, his point still stands. It is clear that Pyrrha's friends will help her with anything that might pose as a problem for her. And I can also guarantee that Beacon will use every resource available to ensure your daughter have the best environment she needs." Ozpin concluded, and a defeated Thea Nikos let out a grunt.

"Very well… I hope you don't regret this, Pyrrha. When you realize your mistake, call me." The older Nikos said as she got up and grabbed her purse. Pyrrha also got up and held her mother's hands.

"Mom, I am not doing this out of spite. Please, trust me a little."

"Pyrrha, you are young and this…" Mrs. Nikos gentle petted her daughter's fox ears. "…is more serious than you think."

"Mom…"

"I won't push this issue anymore. I hope your Jaune Arc is able to hold his promises as effectively as he can swear." With that, Mrs. Nikos excused herself out, not giving Jaune a single glance. The boy just hugged Pyrrha, the girl hiding her face on his chest.

"While I wish that could have being dealt better, my word stands, Ms. Nikos. You have Beacon's full support." Ozpin said as he finally relaxed a little, the only sign of this was him sipping on his mug.

"Thanks, headmaster." Jaune said as he petted Pyrrha.

"Come on Jauney. You and your partner could use some tea now. If you are like me, you also might be famished." Dr. Verd suggested and the two teenagers nodded in agreement.

…

Pyrrha relaxed as she drank the warm beverage, her head on Jaune's shoulder. She was still sad her mother couldn't be as supportive as Jaune and her friends have being, but knowing she wasn't alone certainly was helping her to cope. And when Jaune defended her, swearing aside, she felt like nothing in the world could hurt her as long as he was by her side.

"Hey, Jaune…"

"Yes?" He looked at Pyrrha, and felt relieved to see a smile in her relaxed face.

"Do you prefer fox Pyrrha or old Pyrrha?" She had a teasing tone in her melodious voice, and that caught Jaune by surprise. He wasn't expecting that question after all that happened. Maybe was the tea?

"What?"

"Do you think I am prettier now or I was before?" She opened one eye and stared at him, her teasing grin making Jaune blush a little over the question.

"What?" He was trying his hard to understand what exactly the girl wanted with that. Maybe she just wanted him to reaffirm that he wouldn't leave her alone. He decided to just give the most honest answer he could summon. "Pyrrha, you just look different, that is all. But you still are the same nice, quirk girl that stuck with a loser like me and is helping me getting better. My friend, partner and teammate. If I have to answer if I prefer the current you or old you, my answer is simple I prefer you."

"Awww…" She smiled and nuzzled his cheek, feeling her heart beating faster over the sweet words Jaune gave her. "But… Am I prettier now?"

Jaune gagged for a bit, and Pyrrha finally laughed. Her carefree laugh was music for the boy's ears as that made sure to him she was finally feeling better. He petted her fox ears, making Pyrrha sigh in contentment.

"Well, both your forms are pretty, you are a beautiful woman, always was. I have to admit that the fox traits are cute though." He spoke, and Pyrrha giggled and cupped his cheek with one hand, staring at his blue eyes. Both felt their hearts beat faster.

But then, Nora happened.

"Pyrrha! Are you alright? Are you leaving? Did Jaune and your mother have an epic fight of life and death over you? Can I have a pet Ursa?" She shouted as she entered the med bay followed by all their friends.

"Nora, breath." Ren said as they spread around the room. Nora started breathing again.

"Nora, I am fine, I am not leaving, mom and Jaune had a few harsh words to each other and I don't think we are even allowed to have a pet Grimm." She answered with her usual smile.

"Awww, but prof. Port has a few…" Nora lamented, and that filled the room with merriment.

"How does he even get those? Anyway, Pyrrha, I am assuming things between you and your mother isn't exactly… peachy?" Weiss wondered, trying to minimize what they all saw.

"No, they aren't. Maybe with time we will come to an understanding. But right now, I don't want to think about it. What I want is a big slice of chocolate cake." Pyrrha gave Jaune a very meaningful look at that.

"I will bake you the 'chocolatiest' cake ever." Pyrrha jumped a bit and kissed Jaune's cheek. His mistake was saying that in front of his friends.

"I want a strawberry cake!" Ruby asked.

"I want pineapple pie!" Nora yelled.

"'Chocolatiest' is not even a world… do you know how to make cheesecakes?" Weiss asked shyly.

Jaune groaned loud as his friends started asking for all kinds of cakes and desserts, while Pyrrha just laughed at them.

 _Everything will be alright._

…

 **A.N. Well, this chapter was a bit heavy, probably the darkest thing I ever wrote before.**

 **First, Thea Nikos, Pyrrha's mother. Many people portray Pyrrha's parents as a duo that just cared about Pyrrha's career, but I don't think that would be the case since in the balcony scene she states she was surrounded by 'love and praise'. So, I believe that while Thea would be a strict mother, she would be out of love for her daughter, and making them having a hardship as the loss of Pyrrha's father would explain a bit of some things.**

 **Pyrrha's mother had a hard time raising our beloved Spartan, and when Pyrrha showed talent in fighting, she saw an opportunity for both of them to have a better life. Even if she pushed a little too hard, Thea never wanted to see her daughter suffer.**

 **Also, Thea is not prejudicial to the Faunus, I tried to make it clear on the text. But she knows how much prejudice they receive, and I don't think any parent that loves their children want them to be on the short end of the prejudice stick. While her reaction was the wrong one, she didn't do it because she disliked the Faunus. If Remnant treated the Faunus better, she probably would accept Pyrrha as a fox girl. But again, her love for Pyrrha and the wish her daughter would have no hardships in life blinded her.**

 **So, next chapter will be probably way lighter, though I will probably get back to all the prejudice issue from time to time. After all, things like that don't just go away. On the other hand, next chapter will have a bit more of action and a lot more of comedy as I have a special guest planned to arrive.**


	5. Unexpected Visitors

People that only knew Jaune Arc on the surface probably would paint him as inept, oblivious, annoying and dumb. Many would not even bother in giving him a second look if they could, but anyone that didn't let first impressions being the last or that hanged with the boy long enough would discover how dedicated, intelligent, friendly and nice he really was. That is why everyone in his team loved him and would follow his leadership without questioning, and is why everyone in team RWBY was friends with him, even Weiss.

The fact that he spent a whole day cooking for everyone was a testament that he wasn't one to let his friends down. The fact that he stood by Pyrrha when many wouldn't was proof of his loyalty. The fact he once again woke up with the redhead girl snuggling him in his bed and just gently hugged her was proof that he would put his team's wellbeing over his own bashful nature just to comfort her after a hard day.

Sadly, a hard night expected them.

"Pyr, wake up…" He gently shook her, saw her fox ears twitch cutely and she left a small yawn before cuddling tighter to him.

"Five more minutes, Jauney…" she spoke in a whisper, making him smile. He would happily comply if he could, but they had a job to do.

"Sorry, sleepyhead, but we have that nightly assignment from prof. Peach."

She moaned a little, and sounded way too enticing to Jaune, that blushed as she stretched herself, exactly like a fox, her tail up in the air. She rubbed her eyes and walked towards the bathroom as Jaune woke Ren up. The green clad boy reacted better, and now he was trying to wake Nora up, a mission that proved to be way more difficult than expected.

The illusive prof. Peach had made a search and recover assignment to be held at midnight. They were supposed to go to Forever Fall Forest and retrieve a package that was left after a bullhead crash, or at least a simulation of one. Jaune was glad that this assignment could be performed with other teams, so Ruby offered her own to a joint mission.

Pyrrha got read quickly, so did he, and while the Spartan helped a semi-sleeping Nora to change in her battle attire, Jaune and Ren checked their equipment. Soon Pyrrha finished, but Nora was now fully sleeping, and they laughed a bit at it. Ren just shrugged and Jaune helped putting Nora on his back. As they exited the room they found team RWBY ready, except their illustrious leader, that was sleeping in Yang's back. It was incredible cute and Jaune took a picture.

"Hey!" Yang complained over the flash.

"Come on, Yang, you must admit this is too cute." Jaune explained as he showed the picture to Yang.

"You need to send me this one later. But that is not as adorable as this one." Yang showed the picture Ren took of him carrying Pyrrha the day before she turned into a fox girl.

"Ren, why Yang have this picture?" Jaune calmly questioned his teammate. Ren just gave a shrug, basically saying he had no idea. Jaune was going to blame Nora when he noticed Pyrrha was fidgeting. "Pyr?"

"I might have used that picture as my scroll background, and Yang might have seen it over my shoulder… I am sorry." Pyrrha apologized giving Jaune puppy eyes. The boy just sighed and shrugged it off.

"Let's just go to this damn night mission. I swear this prof. Peach doesn't exist, it is just Ozpin's alter ego so he can give us outrageous missions for his own entertainment."

The group looked at each other and actually considered that as a possibility.

Soon they were in the landing area, and the old pilot that hauled team JNPR in their last mission was there waiting for them, smoking a thick cigar. He looked at the eight teens and sighed as he threw the rest of the cigar away.

"Great, it is you guys again. I swear to heaven that if I have to rescue you all midair from a giant Nevermore again and clean all the mess from this piece of flying trash, next time I will just jump off ship and let you pilot." He said as he opened the door.

"Come on Cid, it was just that one time! And he helped you clean up!" Yang protested as she put Ruby, still sleeping inside.

"What you call cleaning I call a water fight if I ever saw one, blondie." As they boarded the bullhead, Cid spent a good time staring at Pyrrha, making her a bit uncomfortable and worrying Jaune about the old pilot reaction. "Something is different about you, champs. New haircut?"

"Err, no. I… I actually turned into a Faunus…" She explained and Cid just gave what looked like a chuckle and a smile.

"It is that something you can just turn into nowadays? I swear every year I work in this loony bin they call school things get weirder and weirder. I like it, it fits you. I bet your boyfriend over there love it too."

Cid then closed the passenger doors and started the engines, leaving a very red blushing Pyrrha and Jaune behind, while everyone else was smirking at the duo. Even Weiss and Ren were suppressing a giggle.

The flight was calm and uneventful and soon they were dropped a few kilometers from the target, and as the bullhead returned to the security of Vale airspace, they started getting ready, with Yang and Ren trying to wake up Nora and Ruby. Jaune noticed that Pyrrha's eyes had an eerie, yet beautiful green light, the same going for Blake as their Faunus night vision was already working.

"Any discomfort?" Blake, that was a teacher of how to Faunus to Pyrrha asked.

"This is actually pretty cool. It is almost like looking at an old photography with faded colors." Pyrrha explained, and Blake smiled.

"It is very useful, especially when you need to go to the restroom at night and have grumpy roommates."

"Hey!" Weiss protested but was ignored.

"Or in the case of Blakey, assaulting the snack stash." Yang added making Blake blush and a bit of small laughter.

"It is cool that Pyrrha and Blake have natural night vision, but we need to appeal to the power of science." Jaune said as he gave his team the night glasses provided by Beacon. They looked like fashionable sunglasses, but once turned on a faint white light escaped its rims.

"So, how we will do this?" Yang asked as she put her own night googles, one she made just for herself, shaped like her aviator glasses.

"Ung… can't we just do it in the morning?" Ruby finally woke up and put her glasses. "Wow, so coooool!"

"Sorry, Rubes, but the parameters of the mission say we need to finish it before the sun rise. I think we can send Pyr and Blake ahead as scouts, they have superior agility and their night vision doesn't make them as… 'spottable' as us." Jaune suggested, and Ruby agreed.

"Sounds like a good idea. Yang at the back and Nora at the front?"

"If we can wake her up… Nora, a girl is giving hugs to Ren." Jaune whispered, and immediately the girl was up and with Manghild ready to fire.

"I will break her legses! Wait… where is she?" Nora looked around and saw just her friends. "None of you dared to, did you?" The girls in the group stepped away from Ren and shook their heads. "Good then."

…

That Grimm was old, as old as Beacon, and it learned after surviving all those years that the place was dangerous. It made easy prey in Hunters, and that was something it could not allow. It learned that while still prey they would risk themselves in Grimm territory, and that was the only moment to attack. It avoided attacking often and in a pattern, as that would attract Hunters. It would strike occasionally, and disappear for long stretches of time so no one would suspect it.

That prey was dangerous. The two that got ahead were fast, and ignored the night. The others had a weird glow in their faces, but also acted like the night didn't affect them. It recognized that was unusual. Most would suffer in the dark moonless night, except it also could see them. Those preys were already turning into Hunters, and they were dangerous. They had the glow that protected them. One in particular had a bright glow, surrounded by sparks. Yet he was still pray, and it would be the target.

In the past it worked alone, until it found another. Now the two would hunt the prey, and with that there would be one less Hunter to hunt the Grimm in the future.

…

"Why are we in this formation?" Weiss whispered, showing her disagreement with it. Jaune wondered if she did that just to annoy him, because she enjoyed complaining or if that was her way to try to help. While he gave up on her after the dance and still liked her as a friend, that attitude sometimes angered even him.

"Weiss, Ruby and I can't be on the same side because if something jumps on us, we can't have both team leaders down. The reason you and I are in the same flank is because I am armored, shielded and have lots of Aura to spend. If something attacks us, I can take a hit while you get ready to fight. Ren is with Ruby because he is the fastest of us and can react before her. You are with me because I trust you enough to know you will save my butt if I am overwhelmed. Now can we do this quietly?"

Weiss got silent as soon as he finished. After so long expecting him to be a doofus she still had difficulty accepting he was a competent leader and his strategies were incredible well thought, added to the fact Weiss wasn't someone to admit she was wrong easily. Nora led the way, with Weiss and Jaune at the left a few meters behind, Ruby and Ren at the right side, a few meter from Jaune, and closing the group was Yang. That way even if something attacked them, the group had maneuver space to counter. Pyrrha and Blake where up ahead, in the trees. A certain Spartan had a proud smile that only the catgirl could see. Her fox ears allowed her to hear the whispers Jaune and Weiss exchanged.

They arrived at the target zone a few moments later, and to their surprised there was an old bullhead wrecked there, but it was covered in moss and ivy, signalizing it was there for a long time. By its side was a container with a blinking red light, their objective. Jaune made a sign and everyone spread making a circle as he tagged the container with an electronic sticker, and he was glad the container was small enough to be carried by one person only to the extraction zone.

"OK, one down, we need to find the second one so we can finish this assignment." He whispered as he checked his scroll. He found it weird the second container to be so close to the first one, but decided it was how it was supposed to be. He approached the bushes that the scroll was telling him hid the second container, but he felt unease.

Since his Aura was unlocked, he could now sense danger close by, so he readied his shield and sword, and slowly approached the target, his friends alternating between securing the perimeter and looking at him. Pyrrha was more concerned in keeping an eye on him though. He used his sword to push the leaves aside to see the container there, but as soon as the container was in front of him he used his shield to block the stinger of a Deathstalker.

Jaune was glad for his Aura and training as that probably saved his life as he jumped backed in his feet. The night vision googles only showed a black and white image, so he missed the glowing stinger of the scorpion Grimm. That one was as big, if not bigger than the one they fought at initiation. He was holding the container, surprising the knight. The Grimm set a trap for them.

Pyrrha and Blake Jumped from the trees in his help, as did Weiss. The others would have joined them if a pack of Beowulfs, maybe attracted by the noise attacked the group, forcing them to split up. Pyrrha was all over the Deathstalker that attacked her team leader, glad he was safe. Jaune shouted some orders to them, and they kept pressing on the Deathstalker.

But that Grimm had an objective; it didn't have to fight all of them. It threw the container against Weiss, making her back flip out of its reach. Then it attacked Blake with the stinger, and she was forced to block it and get out of the way. That moment allowed the Grimm to reach its target, Jaune. The knight's instinct made him ready his shield for the stinger reading its attack, but he was surprised when the Grimm grabbed his shield arm with its pincer instead of using the stinger, a feint he never expected Grimm could use.

Pyrrha rushed to save him, but had to block the other pincer, that one moment enough for the Deathstalker to attack Jaune with the stinger. His face contorted in pain, and his body got limp, the giant Grimm tossing his body aside. Everyone gasped in shock as they knew what that meant. There was no antidote to Deathstalker's poison. No matter how much Aura, Jaune Arc wouldn't survive that.

With his mission accomplished, the Deathstalker was going to run away and live to kill another Beacon student in another time. But he stopped as he felt something he never felt before, something powerful and deadly. It looked at the source of such power, and saw Pyrrha, tears in her eyes, her tail turning white and her Semblance activating. Her green eyes shone bright at the dark night and then her nine fiery tails appeared, creating a beautiful sight against the darkness.

The Deathstalker didn't understood what was happening. That was not prey, it was a Hunter. One it was sure shouldn't be. Her glow was different, was at the same time new and ancient. The Grimm couldn't move. It was terrified, something it never knew it could feel. The bullhead carcass nearby glow blue and white, like involved in some cold flame, its metal started to move and float towards Pyrrha, contorting to turn into deadly lances. The Deathstalker tried to move away, tried to survive. But it took something dear for Pyrrha Nikos, and she wouldn't let it live.

Several steel lances pierced the body of the Grimm, and he started to fade away, his many centuries of life ended in an instant. Pyrrha slowly walked towards Jaune, a faint of hope that he would be alive. Her tails disappeared except one, back in red. Her eyes glow faded. Only the tears remained as she got closer to Jaune, regretting never being able to tell him how she felt. Their friends slowly come closer, many with tears in their eyes, others still holding hope somehow he blocked that stinger.

It was using that opportunity that a second Deathstalker attacked, using his pincers to throw everyone out of its way. That second one was even bigger than the one Pyrrha killed, and was taking a big risk. But it needed to take that only chance to kill the owner of that terrifying glow that destroyed its partner so easily, before it could become too strong to be defeated.

It grabbed Pyrrha with a pincer, while the others were still too shocked to react. Her arms were trapped in the strong pincer, and she couldn't activate her nine tail mode. She used her Semblance to manipulate her spear, but that Deathstalker armor was too thick. Its stinger ready to attack and she closed her eyes. So, she would be with Jaune soon.

The pain she expected never came, and she slowly opened her eyes.

A white glow was in front of her.

Her eyes widened in shock.

Jaune was blocking the pincer, his shield shining and sparking. The Deathstalker remembered that same glow from many centuries before, from a young girl with similar blue eyes and blonde hair, someone so powerful that it forced that one Grimm to flee. Now it was seeing it again, and it saw the sword, also glowing white and sparking. After so many years, so many killings, the Deathstalker existence came to an end when Jaune thrusted his sword on its face, the energy he condensed pushing inside the Grimm, negating its presence. When the glow disappeared, only the young Huntress and Huntsmen remained.

"Pyr, are you hurt?" He asked a shocked Pyrrha. She was dreaming? She touched his chest, he was real. She looked at his belly and saw his hoodie was torn, but his skin was intact, and he was there, just holding her hands. His warmth passing to her. She could do only one thing, and it was hugging him tightly and cry.

"Jaune! You are alive! How?" Ruby asked as she too hugged him, trying to dry her own tears.

"I am not sure… I think… Maybe I used my Semblance in the last moment? I just felt unconscious and when opened my eyes, I saw Pyrrha in danger…" He stated as his friends bombarded him with questions. One in especial caught his attention.

"Awww, it is broken…" Nora said, and they looked at what she was looking at.

Crocea Mors, a blade and shield supposed to be indestructible, rested in Jaune's hands shattered.

…

It took some time to explain to Ms. Goodwicth exactly what happened. Dr. Verd was surprised Jaune was able to withstand the attack, but otherwise he was fine. They accomplished the assignment and received extra credits for defeating the illusive Grimm that only Ozpin and Goodwitch knew existed and where hunting the students, but neither disclosed that info.

While Jaune was happy that everyone was OK, and that he probably manifested his Semblance, he was sad for his sword. Sure it was not impressive, but it still was a family heirloom and he grew to like it. The shattered pieces of the sword and shield rested in the mess hall table they usually used, and he worried about how to tell his parents about it.

"The Beacon's blacksmith can't fix it?" Ruby wondered, while she looked at the hilt of the sword.

"They don't even know what it is made of. I think I will have to get a new one." Jaune just caressed the shield, proud it could at least protect his partner.

"I will make you the badassest sword ever, Jaune!" Ruby promised, and he smiled as he petted his friend's head. She blushed a little and smiled.

"Thanks, Rubes. I will send a message to my dad. Better get this out of the way." He said as he took a picture of the destroyed weapon and sent it with a picture to his family. He just hoped they wouldn't be mad as he explained in the message what happened.

"Jaune, thanks for saving me, and I am sorry for Crocea Mors." Pyrrha was feeling guilty that because of her Jaune was now without his weapon, but he just hugged her by her shoulder and then scratched the back of her fox ears. "Pyr, you will always be more important to me than an old sword. Besides, you saved my bacon so much already that I still owe you."

Pyrrha finally smiled and accepted Jaune's caring. Ruby and Nora started talking about all the cool tricks they would put in Jaune's new weapon, while Yang teased and praised the knight over his feat. Even Weiss let out a praising word, and immediately regretted it as Yang turned towards her for teasing. Ren was mostly silent until his scroll beeped.

"Good news everyone!" He said as he checked the message.

"That new compact car is finally coming to Vale?" Nora asked and Ren just shrugged it off.

"My brother said the specialist in spirits is already in its way to take a look at Pyrrha."

"You know, do we really want to go back to old Pyrrha? She kicked ass yesterday." Yang questioned and they turned to Pyrrha.

"As long as it doesn't affect my body or mind negatively, I would like to stay like this." She said, as she snuggled with Jaune.

"I am pretty sure we can find at least one thing to think about." Weiss commented and received disapproving looks from Nora, Ruby and Yang. "I am just saying!"

"Anyway, it probably will be a few days before this specialist arrive." Ren assured them, but they all got silent as the doors to the mess hall opened violently. A very old woman entered, wearing green clothes very similar to Ren's. She was half the size of Ruby, and she approached the group with a displeased face. Ren looked at her terrified. "Great-grandmother Lie Yin?"

The small elder jumped and slapped Ren in the back of his head surprising everyone. She sat in the table with her legs crossed and before anyone could react Nora served her a cup of tea. She sipped on it and changed to a pleasant expression.

"Thanks, Nora, you are a sweetheart." Nora just had the biggest smile possible. "Renny, why you still haven't married this girl? I swear to heavens someone will take such perfect woman from you if you keep hesitating like that!"

"But great-grandmother…" she slapped the back of his head again.

"Stop being a stick in the mud like your father and your grandfather. I should never let those two ruin you. All about traditions that were old when I was young. And call me Granny Yin, which goes to all of you."

"Errr, Granny Yin, are you the spirit specialist?" Jaune asked, expecting something completely different from Ren's family.

"Ahh, an Arc! Of course you are an Arc! There is too many of you! Is Jennifer still kicking? I bet she is, just to piss me off." Jaune was even more surprised that yin knew his grandmother. "I see you are a nice boy. And you got a pretty girl too! Why can't you be like that with Nora, Renny?"

"Great… Granny Yin, we want to know if Pyrrha is possessed by a spirit." Ren explained, and Yin just sipped her tea again.

"Yeah yeah, later. I am famished! That air company didn't have the decency of having a good meal in that long ass flight. I want pancakes!"

Everyone was in different states of shocked. Ren just sighed and hid his face in his hands, while Nora happily served pancakes to Lie Yin. Yang was almost bursting into laughter if she wasn't afraid of what it would help to her. Weiss become frozen solid in her seat. From all his friends, she expected Lie Ren family to be the most normal. Pyrrha just could stare at the small old woman eating pancakes like she was Nora.

 _Will I be alright?_


	6. More Unexpected Visitors

Pyrrha couldn't focus on Dr. Oobleck class. Not only he was spewing a thousand words per second, she was not by Jaune's side and that made her uncomfortable. They arrived late at the class since they spend a good time dealing with Lie Yin antics. She acted more like Nora's relative than Ren's. That forced Pyrrha to sit between Blake and Weiss, while Jaune was between Yang and Ruby. Nora and Ren were together (just not together-together) while granny Yin sat on the table between them, sipping tea. Dr. Oobleck apparently ignored the presence as he kept talking about pre-Grimm civilizations.

She watched Jaune putting his scroll to record the class and smiled. Her team leader had some great ideas when he wanted. He would record Oobleck's class and rewatch it in slow motion later, something that raised the scores of the whole team as they all shared the trick. He did the same for Port's class, but fast forwards it so the boring, slow class became funny. And Port's voice in fast forward was simple too funny to resist not to.

Pyrrha's stare drifted to Lie Yin. They were so shocked that she was completely different from what they expected that they barely talked about her situation. The Spartan wondered if that old woman so much like Nora could tell what exactly happened. And in the back of her mind, Pyrrha couldn't help but think if she could revert whatever happened to her. She hated that thought, but admitted she had it. Her fight with her mother, all the anonymous and non-anonymous hate she got for something out of her control, the worry that whatever happened to her could be more dangerous than it seemed. All that made her admit that deep down she wouldn't deny a part of her wanted everything to go back as usual.

But when Pyrrha stared at Jaune, Yang and Ruby trading doodles and suppressing some laughs she smiled. They were all important to her, her friends, teammates and her partner in special. She was lucky knowing no matter that they would support her no matter what the future reserved for them.

Jaune on the other hand had his own worries. Sure he hoped Ren's great-grandmother would come with good news for Pyrrha, but he also remembered his shattered sword and shield. He didn't have any especial love for Crocea Mors, at first just looking at it as an old sword his family left in the basement. But he knew it was a famed blade, and when they answered him back he expected the family to be at least unhappy over its destiny.

But Jaune's father, Michael, just told how proud he was his son saved a friend with them, and Michael wasn't one to give people false appraising. The man at first disliked that Jaune was going to Beacon. He wondered how the undertrained Jaune got inside, and suspected his sisters helped him in. In fact, Mia and Micaela where the ones that faked his transcripts, and Ozpin almost got fooled by them, but the headmaster was experienced enough to discover even the best forgery. The headmaster was curious to see who was brave or fool enough to risk his life in a school about fighting monsters even despite not having the needed skills.

Jaune was actually pretty smart and versatile, when he wasn't really trying. He spent three years in a navy school under the insistence of his father, where he learned a few different languages (including all the swearing), playing the guitar and to actually sail a boat well enough to be considered a true sailor. The dancing he got from his sisters, as many other household chores skills, and the baking he learned from all the times his mother get him down to the bakery and his curiosity forced the cooks to teach him.

Now that he was there at Beacon, he wanted to really become a good Huntsman, so he could give it back all the kindness he received. But for that he needed a sword, and his family said they would see what they could do for him. While Ruby and Nora offered to forge him a new blade, he was a bit scared about what deadly construct they were planning.

"…and that is it for today. Next class, I want a report on your own vision of how pre-Grimm civilizations still influence today's world. Class dismissed." And with that Oobleck just disappeared in a puff of dust. The class stretched and got up, Pyrrha rushed to be by Jaune's side.

"Heavens that boy like to talk. Is that thing he drinks really coffee? Because I bet it was some really hard stuff. Let's go grab some food, kids." Lie Yin told and was about to walk when Ren stopped her.

"Great-grandmother…" slap to the back of the head. "Can we talk about Pyrrha first?"

"You damn kids always rushing an old woman. I do not get to 107 years old by rushing, Renny! Oh, well, I might just do that. I need a quiet place, if possible near water." She spoke, and they decided that the fountain in the back garden would be the perfect place.

As soon as they arrived, Lie Yin took her shoes off and sat with her feet in the water, making a relaxed face. Yang was really trying to not laugh as much as she wanted, or to tease Ren because the boy was clearly giving his friends murderous looks as a warning. Pyrrha stood there by Jaune's side, now even wondering if she was being a victim of some elaborated prank.

"Granny Yin, could we please start talking about Pyrrha?" Ren begged, and his great-grandmother turned around and shook her head.

"Honestly, we should be talking about your marriage with Nora. And don't give me the 'traditions' and the 'village come first' thing. You know your happiness is more important, but no, you have to listen to your father…"

"GRANNY YIN!"

"Sheesh, ok, ok, you have your father's temper too. Come here sweetheart." Granny Yin waved towards Pyrrha, and the girl shyly approached. "How do you feel? Any discomfort?"

"Not really, I feel fine." She assured; both to the old woman and her friends.

"Do you feel like some of your thoughts aren't yours? Or have you noticed your behavior have being unusual?"

"Not really."

"Yes." They all turned to Weiss, many giving her disapproving looks. "Oh, don't look at me like that. We all know very well that Pyrrha was never this… affectionate with Jaune Arc before her transformation. I don't care if you all think it is adorable, we are talking about her well being here."

"Is it that true, child?" Ying asked Pyrrha, which blushed madly as she indeed was hugging Jaune's arm. The girl always wanted to show Jaune her feelings more openly, but her education of always being composed in front of others made it hard for her to show it. She didn't want to admit her feelings, not now, but Weiss was right about what was more important. So she just nodded to Yin. "And you never had those thoughts before?"

"I… I always wanted to show more openly how much I appreciate Jaune's efforts and friendship towards me. He has being a very important person in my life." She admitted, just choosing her words very carefully to that not becoming a full confession. Yin gave her a caring smile, and Jaune petted her hair, mouthing a small 'thank you' to her.

"I see, I see. Well, one last thing and we will be done." Yin took a small circular glass in a wooden frame from her pocket and looked at Pyrrha through it. Ren remembered those were spiritual lenses, and that tradition said that certain people could use it to see the spirits, but he never could and dismissed it as a legend. But now, somehow, he could feel something was happening. "Aaaahhh yes. That makes sense. You are perfect OK, child. Nothing to worry about. So, how some snacks?"

Everyone looked at each other and then to Ren, who just looked as baffled as his friends. Nora was probably the only one that received that news at face value, and was trying to convince Pyrrha that she was fine and they should convince Jaune to cook for tea time. It was Weiss that finally spoke their minds.

"Granny Yin, while the news that Pyrrha is fine is indeed welcome, I think she could use a more detailed explanation." Granny Yin sighed and sat by the fountain.

"Fine, ice queen. You children really need to relax more. I am the old woman here, not you! Anyway, Renny probably gave you a brief explanation of spiritual possession, so let me pass over it really quick. Spirits can posses people briefly, if their heart is weak, usually only for a day. That clearly is not the case here. They also can possess the dead… Have you being dead recently, dear?"

"I don't think I would miss being dead." Pyrrha said, and Yang finally let a laugh out.

"Exactly! Glad we are in the same page! The other thing is that some spirits posses people that mess around with ancient rituals. Have you?"

"No, I have not!" Yang was now sitting in the floor, face red from laughing too hard.

"So, that leave us with the last, less know type of possession. Convergent fusion." They looked at Yin and then at each other. They had no idea what that was supposed to mean.

"Wait, did cereal girl made a silly dance and touched her fingertips with some spirit?" Everyone groaned at Yang, except Yin that left out a chuckle.

"I like you, blonde. You know how to have fun. Anyway, convergent fusion is the rarest of spiritual… possession, but possession is not the right word. What happens is that sometimes, a spirit develop a state of mind so close to that of a certain person that they are attracted to that person, and they fuse together. The spirit doesn't really take any control or change the mind of the person, it actually becomes part of them, but if the spirit was somewhat powerful, some physical change might happen." Yin explained, and everyone took a few minutes to let that information sink in.

"So, basically Pyrrha and the spirit were thinking and feeling so much like each other that the spirit decided that becoming one with her was a good idea?" Ruby resumed, and Ying gave a slow clap to her.

"Glad to see not all of you are hard to deal with." Yin commented. "So, about those snacks…"

"Wait, wait, wait, what will happen to Pyrrha then?" Weiss complained and Yin groaned.

"So close! Nothing! That is all that will happen! No further changes! She and the spirit are one, and she is not at any risk!"

"Can that be reverted?" Ren asked, and Yin slapped the back of his head again. "OK, I need to ask, why?"

"There is no reason to do that! She is herself; the change in behavior is just that the fusion made the mutual feelings stronger!"

"Wait, wait, are you saying the reason P-money become a fox girl is because some spirit also feel… as much appreciation for vomit boy as her? I might say, this is the way to solve any triangles." Yang said as she laughed loudly, Pyrrha hiding her red face on Jaune's arm, the boy just confused about all that.

"What math has to do with this?" Ruby wondered and Yang just laughed harder at her naïve sister's outburst.

"You know, I might stick longer with you all, this have being the most fun I had in twenty years! And that is even before I met with Ozzie again!" Somewhere at Beacon, the headmaster felt like his life was in danger.

"Too much sidetracking! Can this fusion be reverted?" Weiss protested, and Yin shrugged.

"Yeah yeah, if that is what Pyrrha really want. To defuse this situation, Pyrrha would need, from the bottom of her heart, to desire the spirit gone. Besides, since the fusion happened in a very special full moon, the separation ritual can only be performed under a similar moon." Yin explained, and Yang hugged her.

"Ren, she made a pun! I love her already!" Yang said and Ying smiled happily.

"See, Renny, you need to learn with Tayang's daughters! Both of them know what is up!"

"Wait, what special moon?" Jaune questioned and Ren explained.

"According with the traditions of my people, that night before we come back and Pyrrha changed, it was the mid-year full moon. It is a very old tradition, and usually would entice some offerings to the spirits. But the practice is out of fashion."

"Because your grandfather insists in follow some traditions and not all of them. So, the next mid-year moon will happen just next year, shockingly! You have a whole year to decide what you want, darling." Yin finished talking and grabbed Nora's hand. "That is why such adorable girl isn't married yet! Come on Nora, let's go have some snacks! I heard your team leader is a great cook."

Nora gladly followed Yin's lead, and the group walked behind, leaving Jaune and Pyrrha alone for a few moments. Pyrrha thought about it, and was happy to both know what happened to her and that she was going to be OK with or without the spirit. But she felt conflicted if she wanted to perform the ritual or not. Jaune sensed her uneasiness and pushed her closer to him.

"Hey, no need to think too much right now. Granny Yin said that you have one whole year to think what you want, and since you are perfectly fine otherwise, let's just see what will happen." His smile came easy, and it made Pyrrha blush once again but smile back. He was right, she didn't need to rush. She nuzzled his arm knowing whatever her decision; he would be by her side.

"Thanks, Jaune. For being my safe haven in this moment of turmoil." She answered, now glad that the spirit made her a little more frank with her feelings. Despite all the harsh things that happened to her, the fact she could be like that with Jaune always seemed to compensate all of that.

"Hey, you have being with me in my hardest moments. I will not let you down." He answered and they walked back to the mess hall.

…

If Ren always wondered how Jaune felt most of times, his great-grandmother was making sure to accomplish just that. Ren rested his head in the table, face down, as the elder kept telling his friends al the embarrassing moments of his infancy, from the time they found him stuck in a tree he climbed and was too afraid to go down to the day a boy stole his first kiss thinking he was a girl, and how Nora broke his legs.

Yang of course was having a field day, while Jaune and Pyrrha gave supporting pats on the boy's back. Nora of course loved those stories, and it was clear the girl was held dearly by the older woman. The rest varied from trying to ignore it to just trying to held back laughs.

"So, Jauney, your waffles are fantastic! I am almost asking you to marry one of Renny's cousins and move back to the village! They all make tasteless food!" Yin sad, making Jaune give back a sheepishly chuckle, and Pyrrha to snug on him harder.

"You know, now I wonder what kind of spirit decided to fuse with Pyrrha." Ruby questioned as she ate her waffles covered in strawberries.

"Yeah, I am curious about that too. After all, if what made the two of them fusing was Jaune, I want to know what spirit became so… appreciative of him." Blake added, and Yin got in thought for a while.

"There was an old fox spirit living nearby our village, but I haven't seeing it for a while. We even build an offertory for it, but I am almost sure it probably isn't there anymore." Yin wondered, and sudden realization hit Jaune.

"We fixed that old stone offertory after our mission! I even left a cereal bar in it!"

"And you helped that fox with its wounds…" Ren finally got his head up and started eating some waffles.

"Aha! So that explains it! You got lucky, Pyrrha, that your boyfriend is such good hearted, that fox spirit is really a nice one. Always worried with the forest and such." Ying yelled, and the girl just winked happily. She looked at Jaune and saw him blushing heavily over the comment, but he just looked shy, not displeased with the comment. Maybe after all she could feel glad all that happening, as she never felt so close with him than now.

An eerie music played and everyone jump in their feet. Jaune grabbed his scroll and look incredible worried at it. It was his sister Mia, and he wondered why she was calling with her special bad news ring (she hacked the scroll somehow to ring whatever music she wanted). Jaune took the call and saw Mia giving him a very apologetic look.

"Mia is so sorry little brother!" She spoke first, and Jaune got worried too.

"Mia, what happened? Something about Pyrrha?"

"No, that is going fine, I think more one day or two and everything will be back to normal over the web." She said, making everyone let a relieved sigh, especially Jaune and Pyrrha.

"So, what exactly is happening that you used the dread ringtone?" Jaune asked, and Mia closed her eyes.

"First, Mia love you, you are my sweet dear brother. Please don't be mad at Mia. Secondly, we were commenting with the blacksmiths about fixing Crocea Mors, and…."

"And…" Jaune was getting really worried, expecting the news be that the Arc blacksmithing couldn't fix his sword.

"Grandma heard about it and said she was going to Beacon immediately… that was this morning…"

"Oh… OOOOOHHHH… Mia, I forgive you. Now excuse me as your brother let some steam off." Jaune said his goodbyes to Mia and look to his friends, all of them wondered why the notice his grandma was coming was such bad news. They expected, at worse, she would be like Yin, a little odd but nice. "First, I am sorry, but I need to do this." A barrage of swearing came from him, to the entertainment of Yang, Yin and Nora. Blake and Ren just looked concerned as Pyrrha and Weiss blushed at the profanities. Jaune finished a minute later, surprisingly way calmer now. "Second, my grandmother is… odd. And I am so sorry for everything she will do to you girls."

"Waaaiiiit… Why it is us that should GAAAHHHH!"

They turned to see an older woman groping Yang's chest. She had long pale blonde hair, and wore a white blouse with black pants. Her blue eyes were milky, indicating they couldn't see anymore. A thin sword rested in its sheath by her side.

"My, my, Jauney, your friends are really well developed! I bet it is the milk!" The woman said as she talked to the knight, who left a displease groan out. She still was getting a feel from Yang, which desperately struggled against it, but the older woman had a surprisingly strong grip.

"Grandma! How many times we need to ask you to stop groping others!" Jaune protested, but his grandmother just smiled, and walked around the table using the sheathed sword as a cane. As she stood by Jaune's side, she started to feel his face.

"My, how have you grown! Beacon have being good to you. So, your sisters told me you had a special girl…" She moved her head around the table, as the girls all looked at Pyrrha, who just shivered a bit over the weird Arc woman approaching hands. "Ah, I found her!"

Pyrrha yelped at first, but Jaune's grandmother gently caressed her ears, a gently, motherly touch. She caressed her hair and then her face, as if using her fingertips to form an image of Pyrrha's face. Jaune felt a bit relieved as his grandmother have a nice smile on her face, but then she decided to grope Pyrrha's chest, that left another loud yelp at that.

"I like her, Jauney, she has a nice face, and it is very strong. Don't let this one go away!"

"Grandma! Stop it!" Jaune took her off Pyrrha, who had blushed madly and was breathing very hard. The other girls all recoiled back a little, afraid to be the next target.

"See, Renny, this is why you should not complain about your granny so much." Yin chimed, and Jaune's grandmother face let go of the smile to change into a frown.

"Jauney, I think I just heard an old witch. I told you to choose your friends wisely."

"Oh, shut up Jennifer. I am pretty sure your nice grandson likes me way more than an old pervert like you." Yin complained, and Jennifer smiled again.

"It means I am still full of life. The fact you aren't dead yet is surprising, Yin." Ren and Jaune wondered when they have met, but by that exchange, they understood there were reasons why they never talked about each other.

"I will outlive you, Jennifer, if nothing else just out of spite!" Before that could go in the weirdest brawl of all times, Jaune decided to talk with his grandmother.

"Grandma, why are you here?"

"Why else, sweetie, if not to forge you a new sword?"


	7. Soul of the Sword

Both Jaune and Ren were now with their heads against the table, literally banging against it, a concerned Pyrrha tried to relieve Jaune's stress with a gentle hand on his shoulder, while Nora was too excited to do the same for Ren. Team RWBY was both too entertained or too in panic to care. Jennifer Arc kept groping them, her last victim being a dejected Weiss over a comment about her breasts size. Meanwhile they had to keep Lie Yin to not murder the Arc woman over their heated exchange of subtle offenses (sometimes not so subtle.) The situation was so out of control that Ms. Goodwitch had to go to the mess hall to discover what was happening.

"Can someone explain to me what is… oh no…" She froze as she spotted Jennifer, the older woman turning her head towards Glynda. Jaune learned that his combat teacher and his mother were teammates during their years at Beacon, and knowing his family, he couldn't blame the teacher for never visiting Arctown.

"Glyn? Is that you?"

"Jennifer Arc, don't you dare to touch me or I will make sure your grandson will be the one to pay for this!" Jaune banged his head even harder on the table. Jennifer made a pout.

"Party pooper…"

"Can I know what you are doing here and why there is such chaos in my school?" Glynda demanded and Jennifer sat by Ruby's side.

"First, I really want to have a word with Ozpin about throwing my grandson over a cliff."

"What you are talking about… Ozpin?" Glynda looked around. She was pretty sure Ozpin entered the mess hall with her, but there was no sign of him. "You will be able to talk with him later, if he is not busy. The other reason?"

"Well, a Huntsman can't go around fighting monsters without some proper weapons, and I will not let my Jauney with some second rate weapon." She explained, and Glynda gave a exasperate sigh.

"Very well, I will keep the forge open and informed about your presence. But I hope you to behave, Jennifer. And that goes to you too, Lie Yin. You might go back to your village soon, but remember Jaune and Ren will stay here for another three years." With that one last warning Ms. Goodwitch left. Jaune finally stood up and looked at his grandmother.

"Grandma, can you please behave for a few days. I know you want your fun, but it is me that has to cover for you with them after." He had a defeated tone, and his grandmother just smiled and petted his head.

"Well, I make no promises, but we have more important things to deal with. Can you show me Crocea Mors?"

The group left the mess hall towards their rooms, and as they closed the door behind them, Ozpin left the trash bin he hid himself in, a banana peel on his head. He cleaned himself and left by the other side.

…

Jennifer passed her fingers in the broken blade and shield, a serious look in her face. Her thin fingers traced every piece and crack on them, as if trying to remember how it was. Ruby looked very attentive at her. As a weapons fanatic, she always loved to discuss those with knowledgeable people, and right now, Jennifer looked like a serious professional.

Jaune observed, Pyrrha by his side. He would like to see his old blade fixed, because some good memories were attached to them. His first fight with the Deathstalker, the Ursa he defeated protecting Cardin, training with Pyrrha, saving her. In fact many of those memories related to Pyrrha in a way.

"Can it be fixed, Jennifer?" Ruby asked as she looked at the many white pieces the sword become, and the cracked shield.

"It can, yes. But this is an old weapon that should have being retired long ago, no matter how much history it carries. Therefore, I will take it back with me. Its place is proudly exposed over the entrance of our home, not at the battlefield anymore." She explained as she closed the wooden box Jaune provided to his broken weapons.

"So…" Jaune asked, hoping she would not just let him to find a weapon, or worse, make one himself.

"Crocea Mors was made for our ancestor and founder of our family, Joan. It was made to react to her Semblance. When you used yours, the resonance between your semblance and the weapons broke the metal, despite it being nearly indestructible. Unless you have a weapon made for your Semblance, any weapon you use will shatter over your Semblance." She explained to them, Ruby's eyes sparkling over it.

"You talk like you know what exactly Jaune's Semblance is." Blake wondered, and Jennifer smiled.

"It broke Crocea Mors. I have an idea, yes, but to forge Jaune's new blade, I need to feel it in action."

"I am not sure I can just do it like that…" Jaune apologized, but Jennifer just took his arm.

"With that mindset, no you can't. Come on, I am sure your pretty fox will love to see you shine." Jennifer said and Pyrrha grabbed Jaune's other arm, giving him her usual reassuring smile. "You don't need to come, old hag. Go sleep, if possible forever."

"I swear if the kids weren't here I would send you to your grave, Jennifer, and then I would dance the polka over it!" Yin complained as she followed everyone.

They walked to the training grounds, were a few drones were ready for them. Ms. Goodwitch was there, and for some reason she wondered why Ozpin disappeared again. She welcomed the group as she provided Jaune with a normal steel shield and sword, and he finally noticed how heavy they were. A drone moved forward and stopped. Jaune wondered what he was supposed to do.

"Jaune, I want you to destroy this drone without moving from where you are." Jennifer informed him, and Jaune exchanged looks with the drone, that stood a good twenty meters away.

"Grandma, I can't hit it from here with a common sword." He stated, and his grandmother just stood far from his right side, both hands in her sword, a solemn face. Pyrrha was by her side, giving worried looks towards the knight.

"With your Semblance, you can. Just remember when you used it to save your partner from the Grimm, and focus on your sword."

Jaune just lamented to himself and focused as Pyrrha trained him to do. He tried to forget everyone around him, and look inside himself, searching for his own soul to manifest it in the form of that hidden power called Semblance. For one second, his body shone white, but then nothing; it was like inside he was nothing special to see, or so he thought.

"Jaune Arc, you can't be a Huntsman without a weapon, and I can't make a weapon without you showing me your Semblance. If you fail to do so, you won't be allowed to stay here." Jennifer shouted.

To Jaune, that was a terrifying thought. He had them when he started, but since Pyrrha helped him train, it never passed through his mind that one day he would not be able to stay by his friends' side. He looked at the desperate look Pyrrha gave him, and them the concerned ones his other friends had, even Weiss and Ms. Goodwicth gave him supporting stares.

The boy looked at the drone, than at his weapons. He wanted to be a hero, but not because he wanted to be celebrated, or receive honors and fortune, or even a page in a History book. He wanted to be one people could count on, one who could protect them. He wanted to be able to stand and help his friends, and now he faced the possibility of not being able to.

He wouldn't accept that.

This time, he didn't close his eyes, he focused on the drone. He didn't close his mind to his friends, to his partner. Their support was part of who he was now, all the time they trained with him, offered comforting words. He was there to support them back, and he would not let them to be taken away from him.

His body once again shone white, but this time he focused it on the blade, that sparked and crackled under its pressure. He moved his arm up, then down in a swing. The sword shattered as the white light moved against the drone, some of the people around could swear the light took a dragon shaped form before hitting the drone. For a split moment it was like nothing happened, then the drone fell down, splitting in half.

Jaune had no time to bask in his accomplishment as he barely dodged an attack. His grandmother held a thin, silver blade in her hand, the sword she used as a cane. She moved incredible fast and precise for an old blind woman. A piece of his shield fell on the ground with a bang. While many would be surprised that thin blade could cut a thick steel shield, Jaune knew that his grandmother weapons surpassed many in quality and resilience.

"Drones have no Aura to protect themselves of your attacks, boy. The question is: can you?" Jennifer spoke towards him, and attacked again.

Everyone was speechless over the display of skill Jennifer was giving them. It was like she wasn't blind at all. Even Lie Yin stood silently at that. Jaune dodged another attack, another piece of his shield cut off. He couldn't stay like this forever. He couldn't attack, but he needed to defend himself.

He once again summoned his Aura, and passed it to the shield, it glowing white. Jennifer attacked the shield again, but this time it stopped her blade, and the energy Jaune put in the shield released against her, forcing her back a few steps as the shield become dust. Jennifer stopped and sheathed her sword back.

"Good, good. Still too slow in summoning your Semblance, but that can be corrected with both the proper training, and the proper equipment. I can provide the later, I believe Beacon and your girl can provide the former." Jennifer stated, and Jaune panted tired but happy. Pyrrha ran towards him and gave him a congratulatory hug. "Now, Ruby, Pyrrha?"

The two redheads approached warily the old woman, especially when she extended her hands to them, but Jennifer just gently held their cheeks and smiled sternly. Somehow, all the impressions they had about her left, and they saw a gently, wise woman.

"Ruby, I will ask Glyn to excuse you from classes tomorrow. My eyes don't work anymore, so I will use yours to help me forge Jaune's weapons. Would you help me with that?"

"Yes!" Ruby jumped happily over the possibility of learning with someone who could create such impressive blade.

"Tell me, are your eyes silver?"

"Hum, yes, somehow people think it is important…" Ruby wondered, and Jennifer answered by gently ruffling her hair.

"I will tell you some stories tomorrow. So go sleep early, we start with sunrise. I will have cookies ready for you." Ruby hugged Jennifer at the mention of stories and cookies, and the old Arc woman wondered if she would even sleep that night. "Pyrrha, do you mind taking me somewhere we can talk alone?"

Pyrrha wondered what that was about, but after Jennifer exchanged a few words with Glynda, the two walked towards the roof, the spot where Jaune and Pyrrha trained together. Jennifer felt the place and smiled, recognizing the many marks of the training in the ground. She sat in one of the stone slabs that connected the roof with the floor, and smiled.

"Pyrrha, come here for a second and sit in front of me." Pyrrha did as asked and sat with her legs crossed in front of Jennifer. She caressed Pyrrha's ears again, and then her hair, before giving her sword to the Spartan. "Pyrrha, an Arc blade have a soul, a soul that need to connect to its owner so it can withstand its Semblance. Usually I would use something from the future owner, but our Jaune is a guardian, a protector. His blade needs to have something from the people he wants to protect, and I can tell you are the one he want to protect the most right now."

Pyrrha was doing her best to just not ran from there, tackle Jaune and confess her feelings to him as Jennifer spoke those words. Because she felt the same about him, the need to protect him was her biggest feeling right now. She didn't run just because somehow she felt Jennifer was observing her intently, even if not with her eyes.

"Pyrrha, if I say to you I need your hair to make Jaune's new weapon, would you cut it for me?"

For a second, Pyrrha needed to process that request. She liked her hair, Jaune said many times he loved it. But he needed a weapon to stay with her. He by her side certainly was more important. She motioned the blade and it was about to cut her long ponytail off when Jennifer stopped her hand.

"Now, now, I don't need all of it." Jennifer took the blade and cut a bit of Pyrrha's hair, a few dozens of long red hair strands on her hand, which the Arc woman put into a small silk bag. "My grandson is lucky to have you. I will make a powerful blade for him."

"Thanks, Jennifer." Pyrrha gave the woman a hug, and she laughed and caressed the Spartan's back.

"Now, now, let's go to your room so we can get some sleep."

They returned to JNPR's room to find Jaune already sleeping on his bad, the exercise and Aura spent clearly too much for him. Yin was sleeping in Nora's bed; her old age didn't allowing her to act energetic for that long anymore. Nora was trying to convince Ren to sleep together in his bed, while the boy was trying his hardest to convince her to let him sleep on the ground, but clearly he was losing that battle.

"Sleep with him; I will take your bed." Jennifer said to Pyrrha as she heard the small yelp of happiness Pyrrha left as she entered in the restroom to change into her pajamas.

The redhead girl soon came back in her night gown and slipped under Jaune's blanket. If Jennifer could see she would have noticed the incredible bright smile in the girl's face, especially when Jaune brought her closer to him while sleeping. Soon Pyrrha was also sound asleep, and Ren finally gave up as Nora insisted if their friends could so they could.

Jennifer removed her shoes and got comfortable in Pyrrha's bed, smiling as some old memories filled her mind towards sleep.

…

Ozpin finally left the arena, after hiding under the bleachers for a few hours, unsure if Jennifer Arc was still around. After confirming he was safe, he fixed his clothes and returned to his office.

…

"Ozpin, I swear you have being disappearing on me too often recently." Glynda complained as they walked around the campus in that morning, the sun starting to rise.

"It is just your impression, Glynda. I just have being busy." He replied as he sipped in his mug, a poker face that Glynda was impressed with.

"Are you sure you aren't afraid of Jennifer Arc?"

"Ridiculous. She is an old friend, and I would love to exchange a few words with her if I had the opportunity." Ozpin affirmed.

"Well, how about now, she is coming with Ruby." As soon as Glynda got her eyes off Ozpin, he disappeared. She arched an eyebrow and groaned as Jennifer came closer, a sleepy Ruby conducting her towards the forge.

"Mornin' Ms. Goodwitch." Ruby said as she munched in a cookie.

"Ms. Rose, Jennifer. So, going to make your grandson a sword?" Glynda questioned as Jennifer shrugged.

"A sword, an axe, a rotating halberd with a rocket launcher embedded. I am not decided yet." Jennifer commented and Ruby's eyes sparkled.

"Oh, we can make him a shield that is also a chainsaw!"

"Hmm, I knew you would be the perfect assistant, Ruby." Jennifer ruffled Ruby's hair.

"As his combat teacher, I think simple would be better for the young Arc." Glynda chimed in, and both Jennifer and Ruby giggled.

"Well, let's go Ruby; I have some secret techniques to pass to you." Jennifer said and Glynda smiled as the little girl's eyes glittered in happiness. As soon as they weren't close she turned to see Ozpin by her said, dripping wet.

"Ozpin? What happened?" Glynda questioned and he just sipped on his mug.

"Just felt a bit hot and got some water in my head to cool down."

"Ozpin, was you hiding in the fountain?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Glynda."

…

Lie Ren wondered if he angered some old god, spirit or the universe itself.

His great-grandmother was now in a competition with prof. Port over who could tell the widest tale, he believed, as they kept throwing back at each other tales of their youth and their accomplishments. Team RWBY minus its leader clearly found that situation amusing as they snickered and laughed from time to time. Meanwhile Jaune and Pyrrha were oblivious to that as they sat side by side whispering with each other. Nora was more interested in them than the class going on.

Ren decided that watching his teammates flirt was funnier than watching his great-grandmother talking about saving her husband from a hundred thieves armed with just a brush. That Pyrrha loved Jaune was something he realized after the incident in the Forever Fall forest with the Ursa and Cardin. He always wondered why she wouldn't just tell him, but Nora, who was incredible insightful when she wasn't being crazy, explained that to someone like Pyrrha whose life was so apart others, she lacked both the skills to do so, and she wanted something like a love confession to her, a honest one at least, from someone she was in love with.

Nora on the other hand never understood how Jaune could be so oblivious, but to Ren that was easier to understand. Jaune was a nice guy, but a guy nonetheless, and men usually lacked the natural ability women had to detect certain subtleties. And combined with that, Jaune, during a long time, felt to be out of the league Pyrrha was put on, and couldn't see her falling for him.

But even before Pyrrha changed into a fox girl, if Ren could point just after the dance, Jaune have being more aware of her, and he have being more likely to return her affection. That is why he was accepting of her physical contact so easily, and that he also was more at ease to do the same to her.

To Ren, even if the incident with the spirit didn't happen, they would be more caring towards each other anyway, to the dismay of Pyrrha's fans and the hate of many of Jaune's loathers.

Jaune wasn't aware, nor could imagine that he was the most envied man in Beacon. Not only Pyrrha was his partner, and even after her change many still admired her, he was always surrounded by the beautiful girls of Beacon, and all of them had their own fan club, even Nora, though hers was way more secretive as they were certain he dated Ren.

Ruby had her own fan club, and it was a bit creepy by what Ren knew, since many saw her as a 'little sister' type. They even had a slogan that goes as 'to be Ruby's big brother', and Ren suspected that if Yang ever caught wind of them, they will be all dead.

Yang also had admirers, and they were very likely to show it. She used the poor saps to do small tasks for her, teasing them from time to time, and while none of them had a chance with her, they all followed her around.

Weiss hated the fact some people that barely knew her had, in her own words, a 'creepy obsession with someone that don't even know they exist', despite Yang talking about the paradox of her declaration.

Even Blake had secret admirers, especially in the female population that saw her as some mysterious type. Coco and Velvet had no much trouble with theirs, as Coco crushed anyone trying to make a move on her and Velvet being too shy to even realize that she had admirers.

But Jaune got the short end of that stick as many of the admirers of those girls he befriended with would sometimes mess with him for daring to be close to their 'goddesses', something that Ren protect his friend when he could. But right now he just was happy that the two was finally getting their ship sailing.

"… Well, Mrs. Lie, I can assure you that my skill with a bucket of lard…" The bell ringed finishing the dispute of Prof. Port and Yin. "I hope you all young ones have got valuable lessons from us. See you next class."

"Do you think Jennifer and Ruby will take too long to finish Jaune's new equipment?" Nora asked Ren.

"I don't know, usually it takes weeks to forge a new sword." Ren stated and Nora puffed her cheeks. "But I don't want to wait that long! I want to see Jaune-Jaune new stuff now!"

"Don't worry about it, Nora. My grandma is really skilled with a forge, and usually don't take more than a few days to create a masterpiece." Jaune affirmed her and she smiled toothily.

"I just hope your grandma is not too touchy with my sister, vomit boy." Yang said menacingly, and Jaune froze in fear. He also hoped his grandma was behaving herself in the forge.

…

The day passed without many incidents, except two, one were Nora was fed with coffee by Yin and almost send Cardin flying in her homemade giant water rocket, only to be stopped by Ms. Goodwitch. Ren had to lock Nora in their room to let the caffeine effect pass, while Yin had to write in the blackboard ten thousands 'Nora Valkyrie is forbidden of having caffeine, I should know better'. The second one involved one of Yang's fans stealing one of her hair strands, and while he was in the med bay gloating he had took a hair from the brawler, Yang had to go to Prof. Port anger management therapy.

Jennifer and Ruby appeared for dinner, Ruby with the biggest grin she could muster, face dirty with ash, which Weiss proceeded to try and clean up. Jennifer on the other hand was simple impeccable, a serene smile in her face as Jaune served her food.

"How's the weapon coming along?" Blake asked Jennifer and Ruby, trying to hide she was very curious what would come from those too. Whatever they were cooking, Blake expected it to be deadly. If to Jaune or his enemies was about to be seem.

"Perfectly. Ruby is incredible talented, and I feel very inspired. Actually, if things keep going so well, tomorrow we will have your new stuff, Jauney." The boy clearly felt relieved and happy over the news.

"Pfft, I bet it will be a piece of trash." Yin provoked, and Jennifer just smiled.

"It is being made by and Arc, Lie Yin, not an old crone that is working extra hours on life."

Yin answered by tossing a bit of her ramen at Jennifer, and the Arc woman threw a surprisingly accurate olive back. Before they could react, both teams JNPR and RWBY were threw in Word Food War II. Jaune and Pyrrha crawled under the tables and reached Ren, the boy holding into two pieces of bread as they heard Nora and Ruby laughing and wrecking havoc.

"Ren, I want to say, I am very, very sorry about this." Jaune said as he threw a soda can as a grenade, taking down Cardin.

"I am also sorry about my great-grandmother. She can get a little bit too…"

"Nora?" Pyrrha suggested as they saw Blake being thrown and covered in spaghetti.

"Do you think the punishment will be harsh?" Jaune wondered as Yang passed by punching another student with hamburgers.

"Yeah."

…

 **A.N. I finally got a streak of creativity over this story so more chapters will be uploaded soon. If you also follow my other current story,** _ **King of Knights**_ **, know that I am working on the next chapter, but this one will take more time to go live due the fact writing crossovers is really hard.**


	8. Day of Victory

Jennifer Arc woke up the next day before sunrise. She was surprised on how angry Glynda was when she came to stop the food fight. According to her at least five students were sent to the med bay, and they wasted way too much food, food that could've be used to feed people in need, and even her and Lie Yin had to stood her lecture and punishment, cleaning the whole place. With tiny, tiny brooms.

The woman suppressed a chuckle of happiness and got ready to meet Ruby and finish Jaune's new sword. She noticed that he was soundly asleep, and by his breathing he was happy, so was Pyrrha that slept snuggling him. Jennifer smiled and felt herself serene, knowing her grandson was growing to be as much of a good person as so many Arcs were in the past, and their kindness and loyalty to their friends took them to the path of becoming heroes.

She came closer and caressed his blonde hair for a while, memories of a young Jaune asking her to convince his dad to allow him to be a knight. Michael worried too much, and desired his son to not follow a path that usually ended in an early grave, and Jennifer would have trained the boy in secrecy if Sara Arc wasn't such a dangerous woman. Both Michael and Sara shared the same good heart, but Sara wasn't nicknamed the 'Nemesis of Beacon' in her school years for her forgiving tendencies.

Jennifer cut a few strands of the boy's blonde hair with her sword and put them in her small silk bag, so she could finish her job. She silently left her grandson, friends and the woman she liked to refer as 'that mummy that cause only grief' behind. As she exited the room, she found her sweet assistant waiting, half-asleep and with a cookie in her mouth. Jennifer knew of the cookie by the smell and of the half-sleepiness because of her breathing.

 _So much like her mother…_

"Ruby, are you ready?"

"Uh? Oh! Yes, master Jennifer!" Ruby smiled, and gently touched Jennifer's hand so the blind woman could rest it in her shoulder and walk towards the forge. As they walked, Jennifer shared some of the tamest tales of Summer and Sara friendship, to the happiness of the reaper. Jennifer knew it was better to keep the wildest ones, like that one time Summer and Sara made some money by selling stealth photos of the most handsome boys naked around. As they approached the forge they saw Ms. Goodwitch, likely searching for something.

"Hello, Ms. Rose, Jennifer. Going to work again?"

"Yes, Glyn. I am pretty sure we will finish it before sunrise. I have being very inspired, and our little Rose here have being more than helpful." Jennifer's words made Ruby blush shyly.

"That is excellent. I hope this means that no more cases of mindless destruction and sexual harassment will happen." Glynda said and Jennifer laughed.

"If I remember correctly, didn't you, Sara and Summer once destroyed the AV room by releasing some mice during one of those PA videos?" Glynda twitched an eye brow at the memory.

"How you destroy a room with mice?" Ruby wondered, always listening to any story mentioning her mother.

"You don't, but let's say that powerful people scared of tiny little critters tend to overreact." Glynda said and then stared at Ruby. "Don't even think of trying something like that, Ms. Rose."

"Sheesh, and I thought Ren was too serious. Let's go Ruby." Jennifer waved in the general direction of Glynda and walked away, led by Ruby.

"Ozpin, was you hiding in the tree?" Glynda questioned the headmaster as he suddenly stood by her side, twigs stuck in his hair.

"Of course not." He deadpanned, and Glynda just rolled her eyes.

…

Jaune and the others had the morning free, and he decided that putting his reading up to date was in order, so he sat at the library, surprisingly reading a thick old book he found. Pyrrha sat by his side reading the last issue of _Hunters and Weapons_ , while Lie Yin was correcting a History book to Ren and Nora ("After all I lived most of those events!"). Yang entertained herself by playing cards with Weiss, and Blake was too busy reading her smut novels disguised as a book about the Faunus. They were all put out of their activities when Coco and Velvet arrived.

"Hello everyone." Velvet said in her usual sweet voice, the accent only making her cuter.

"Renny, don't look at the bunny! You already have Nora." Velvet blushed a little while Coco laughed at Yin's comment.

"So, Ren, this is your now famous granny? I must say she is awesome." Lie Yin gave a small nod over the compliment. "But I was expecting to meet your grandma, Arc. I heard she kick some serious ass for a blind old woman."

"I don't think you would be so eager to meet my grandma if you knew of her more… touchy behavior." Jaune answered and Yang left out a snort, Velvet and Coco just sharing an amused look.

"What are you reading, Jaune?" Velvet asked as she sat by his side, and was surprised the old tome was written in a foreign language.

"I found this kind of hidden in the shelves. Something about dragons and treasures. I can read most of it but it uses a very archaic form of the language." He explained, this time both Weiss and Blake paid attention.

"Renny, can we have a dragon? Do you think they have vast amounts of treasures? Maybe we will find a magic ring that turn ourselves invisible but make us evil with time!" Nora shouted a thousand words per minute.

"I am impressed you can read such old book." Coco said as she looked at the cool, detailed leather cover.

"I wish it was more useful in fighting Grimm, knowing a few languages that is. But this book is really interesting, and it is weird, you know?" Jaune said as he showed some really detailed drawings inside. "It is more like a manual than a fairy tale."

"Well, pretty useful in case of dragon." Yang smiled as she looked at Jaune, who just chuckled knowing how ridiculous that sounded.

"Aim for the belly and wings, they are weak there. Oh, and not all of them breath fire, some breath acid and others thunder." Lie Yin said in such a serious tone that Jaune immediately resumed reading the book, and took some notes.

…

The afternoon came soon, and Jaune sat in the bleachers on combat class. Since his weapon was still being made, he was excused of fighting, so he just kept reading the book about dragons he found. For some reason he also couldn't find his armor, but concluded his grandmother took it. Pyrrha sat by his side, asking from time to time for him to translate a particularly interesting looking text. Velvet and Blake sat nearby, talking about school stuff, while Coco and Yang were amusing themselves betting in the training matches. Weiss was fighting in the arena, and was winning.

Their attention was drawn when Ruby opened the doors in an overly display of showmanship, as she walked towards their friends, her face covered in dark soot, as was her clothes. Behind her was Jennifer, but the blind woman looked as clean as possible. She carried something in her arms, wrapped in a white sheet.

"Jaune! Your grandmother is sooo cooool! She told me some incredible secret techniques! I never imagined you could make weapons with this and that!" Ruby spoke excitedly, making Jaune and Pyrrha laugh at her for a bit. "And the better? She helped me improve my beloved! Now Crescent Rose is 20% more deadly!"

"How do you even measure that?" Blake wondered and Ruby was about to explain when Glynda called her.

"Ms. Rose, why you don't show how much your weapon improved in a match, since you decided to join us? Ms. Nikos, would you like to be her opponent?"

"Certainly Ms. Goodwitch."

Ruby was one of the very few first years that could take Pyrrha on equal footing, but even she was yet to defeat the Spartan. Even many second year students could barely have a chance in winning when confronted with Pyrrha, and that didn't change with her new fox features. So when the two clashed, it was a sight to behold.

True to her word, they did notice that Ruby's weapon seemed faster and her shots more powerful. Even so Pyrrha was holding her own just fine. Jaune observed the duo fighting with interest, the book resting on his lap, and he paid little attention as her grandmother sat by his side. Somehow, observing Pyrrha elegant figure, waving hair and tail mesmerized him to the point of forgetting about his new weapons.

"So, Ruby or Pyrrha for the win?" Jennifer asked and Jaune smiled.

"Pyrrha. Whatever you did to Crescent Rose will make this battle close, but that scythe still is made with metal." He said as he noticed the small blue flames that sometimes appeared on Crescent Rose, sign that Pyrrha was manipulating the weapon slightly.

"Not a problem you will have with this one." Jennifer said as she put the package she was carrying on Jaune's lap.

The first thing he noticed it was that the package was light, maybe even lighter than Crocea Mors. He unwrapped it and noticed the sheath first, it was beautiful. It was of a pearly white, and in fact Jaune wondered if it was made of the same material as pearls, as it seemed a bit translucent, and it had some red thin lines making wonderful patterns that looked like strings embedded deep into the material. Te double crescent crest was near its end where the new sword was placed, and Jaune looked at its hilt.

The hilt was made of some golden material, but once again it remembered the boy more of a crystal than metal. The pommel was enveloped in blue velvet held in place with some type of red strings. Jaune got up and finally drew the sword and admired the beauty of its blade. It was both wider and longer than Crocea Mors, and like the sheath it had some thin red lines making wondrous patterns in the blade. The blade itself was white, and he could see his face reflected on it. A few golden runes place in its middle near the guard, old runes for protection, Jaune knew.

"Jaune, this is simple gorgeous…" He turned to see Pyrrha staring at the blade, and she looked at the red lines, wondering if they were what she thought they were. Only Jennifer knew, not even Ruby, but indeed the red lines where made of the Spartan's hair.

"Not only gorgeous dear, this blade don't need to be sharpened, and won't break. The shield is also near indestructible, as long as its bearer stands." She said and Jaune activated the shield mode of the sheath. The shield now opened differently, more silently and in a more complex way, forming a kite shield slightly bigger than the previous one. The red lines still formed a complex pattern around its borders, and both sword and shield were lighter than Crocea Mors. He noticed that the handle of the shield had a trigger and a button with a red rose printed on it.

"So, I guess this button is Rubes work?" He wondered as the reaper joined them. She just lost to Pyrrha, yet she didn't look sad, too excited to see the weapon she helped make in action.

"Hehehe. Try it!" she asked, and Jaune gave her a worried look. "Don't worry, it won't explode or anything. Maybe…" she whispered the last part, but Jaune trusted his grandmother would not let this happen, so he pressed the button, and the shield somewhat wrapped itself in his arm and become a handgun of some type, with a long thick barrel. "Master Jennifer said that you can't use your semblance for long range attacks on every small enemy in your way, so your shield now is also a semi-automatic pistol... Well, maybe handcanon would be more accurate."

"Wow, impressive. Thanks Rubes. Thanks, grandma."

"Now, now, how about we test your new toys? Is that alright for you, Glyn?" Jennifer asked the teacher that nodded in affirmation.

"Better we do it here than let his friends idea of a 'test' take place. Jaune, go put your gear and get ready. I will have some drones ready for you."

Jaune nodded and sheathed the sword back. It was too big to carry on his hip now, so he just rested it on his shoulder. He imagined that his grandmother had a solution for it. Pyrrha walked with him towards his locker, her eyes alternating between his serene face and the sword and shield/sheath, so fitting for a hero, her hero.

They arrived at his locker and Jaune found, as he was suspecting, his armor there. He put it easily as Jennifer changed the straps from leather belts to magnetic straps, and somehow it was like they strapped themselves. The armor now had more plates, protecting more of his body. It covered now most of his forearms, shoulders and chest. Jennifer added a waist protector and armor for his legs and knees. The chest plate had a golden drawing of a dragon, and the legendary creature had the Arc crest in its head.

For Pyrrha, that was like seeing some knight of legend in front of her, as Jaune put his new sword on his back, a loud click signalizing it was firm in place. Jaune looked at himself in the mirror located in the locker room, and felt like the person he was when he first came at Beacon wasn't himself, but some distant memory. He finally smiled and walked back, Pyrrha gently hugging his arm.

Everyone was kind of shocked when he came back. The new armor really made an impression, and the new sword in his back made some of them to look at Jaune like it was the first time they ever saw the boy. Ruby hold the proudest smile towards her friend, and Nora couldn't stop commenting how cool he looked. Most simple had no words to describe it. Except Yang.

"Hey, it is vomit boy level 2!" She said and almost everyone groaned at that, but Jaune just chuckled and got on the arena. Three drones waited for him, one holding a thick metal plate as a shield.

"Very well, Mr. Arc. How about you show us Ms. Rose implement of fire power on your shield?"

At Ms. Goodwitch request, Jaune draw his sword. He noticed that the sheath/shield opened on its side to allow him to easily draw the sword, admiring his grandmother thought of every minor detail and implemented them in such short-notice. He then converted the shield into its gun form, took aim and fired. Each press of the trigger fired three bullets, and he noticed it had quite a bit of recoil. On the other hand, the big holes it opened in the drone's shield showed that Ruby Rose have no idea what the world 'restraint' meant when it come to firepower.

"Now, how about you try your Semblance? This could be a good lesson to many of your fellow classmates that rely too much on their weapons." Ms. Goodwitch suggested.

Jaune remembered how he did it the day before and conducted his Aura to the blade, and he noticed it took less time to charge it, but yet it took a few seconds to do it. He slashed the air and the same light beam followed the path, once again to many it looked like it took the form of a dragon as it approached and hit a drone, cutting it in half, the impressive display making many students gasp. Pyrrha and Ruby where the only ones really not surprised, as it was Jennifer and Yin, though the older women just knew of Jaune's potential. Even Ren had to admit Jaune's display of power was unexpected.

"Now, how about a quick fight with a drone just so you can get used with your weapons?" Glynda suggested as the destroyed ones were removed.

"Wait, wait, wait!" They turned to see Nora rushing towards the arena with Magnhild in her hands. "Let me fight my mighty leader! I haven't fought today and he is so cool now please please pelase?"

"Mr. Arc?"

"Might as well do it. Training is training." He shrugged, not expecting winning that match anyway, but also wanting to try his hand at a real fight with his new equipment.

"Very well. You two get ready and do proper warm-ups."

At the stands, Pyrrha just smiled at her knight, the boy carefully following the warm-up routine she made for them, and checking his new weapons as he did so. The rest of their friends talked between each other, many wondering how much a new sword would make a difference, but Pyrrha knew it wasn't just the sword. Jaune's mind changed a bit with it too, one of his biggest weaknesses.

"Well, he might have improved a lot, and unlocked his Semblance. But he still doesn't have the hang of them, so I think Nora have the advantage." Weiss commented with Blake.

"Of course my little girl will kick the Arc boy's butt. No matter what trickery that old woman put on it." Lie Yin commented and Jennifer smiled and produced a 100 lien card.

"I bet my grandson will show you the value of an Arc." Lie Yin also produced a 100 lien card, and everyone got surprised when Pyrrha did the same.

"I bet in my partner." Yang started to grab the cards and take notes on her scroll, a grin in her face.

"OK, the house is open! Who else wanna bet?" She said and Ruby gave her a few small value cards that added to a hundred lien.

"No way will a weapon I helped to make lose!"

"Your naivety is almost endearing, Ruby. 100 on Valkyrie." Weiss said as she also gave Yang a card.

"Nora." Blake gave her partner the card.

"Yeah, sorry, Nikos, no way your boy can win this." Coco also bet 100 on Nora. Velvet gave a 100 card to Yang too.

"He might have a chance, he improved a lot. I bet on Jaune." Yang was placing her bet when her scroll beeped and she saw two messages, and she opened then as she was curious what their senders wanted.

"Uh, Ozpin, Port and Oobleck are beating a 100 on Nora. Prof. Peach a 100 on Jaune, and she says I can leave her money on her desk… I swear she is a ghost of sorts."

"Tell Ozpin I will find him soon." Jennifer said to Yang, and as she answered, the brawler was sure she heard a whimper of fear from far away. She heard a cough that called for her attention and saw Ms. Goodwicth in front of her. The teacher wasn't very fond of Yang's bets, but yet she gave the blonde girl a 100 lien card.

"I believe Jaune Arc will surprise us." She explained as she returned to the arena.

Then at the talk that even the teachers were taking bets, almost every student places bets too, mostly on Nora's victory. Yang grabbed her own 100 lien and looked at the arena. Nora jumped and waved happily, as she would usually do. Nora would not take it easy on Jaune, as they all knew she didn't know how to take easy on anything, or do anything with an evil intent. But Yang watched Jaune and noticed something a few others noticed.

Sure the previous records favored Nora. But Jaune looked so calm and ready to fight this time, something so different from all the previous fights she saw him in. Yang was well aware that Jaune was way more skilled now. When he entered, some of the third years graded him a Z-rank, compared with team RWBY S-rank and Pyrrha SS-rank. Of course, she knew it was true that at the beginning there was a huge gap, and while pained her to admit it, she faced the truth. She considered Jaune a good friend, a good person. But that didn't change his lacking skills.

But now…

Nora could be an S-Rank, but if she was to classify Jaune, he was as good as a minus A-rank, and he was now better equipped for battle. And somehow even Glynda believed he could win, so Yang placed her lien on Jaune's pile.

Jaune didn't notice that commotion at all. He was focused in the only skill he excelled over everyone else at Beacon. He was planning. He knew Nora very well, and knew she wasn't a mindless fighter. She had a strategy. She would try to confuse him with her Dust grenades and if that didn't work, she would try to beat him in the head with the hammer. The Dust grenades, even if they didn't hit, left a smoke cloud behind, and while many thought it was for show, they irritated lungs and eyes. After confusing her target, she would aim for legs and arms to get mobility and attacks to slow down. Once the target was prepared, she would hit its body with all her might and finish the fight.

Jaune knew that her three-steps plan was very effective, and she defeated many strong opponents like Weiss and Yang that way, so he needed to counter then somehow, and he already knew his own weak points. He knew he couldn't use his gun; he wasn't skilled with it enough to try already. His Semblance worked well for defense, but the attack was slow to charge up. So he couldn't count on them.

But he also knew well his training, and Nora. He knew her battle plan, and he knew how to counter it. As long as he used that knowledge, he had a chance. So when Ms. Goodwitch asked them to get ready, he walked to his position and put his shield in front of him.

For anyone else, it seemed the battle was just going the same way as always and that Jaune was going to be trounced by q stronger opponent. But Pyrrha just smiled and watched happily at the battle. When Nora fired a round, where many saw her getting a direct hit, she saw Jaune deflecting it with his Semblance and shield, his eyes close, his breath held so to not get affected by the smoke.

When Nora tried to hit his head by his sword side, she saw Jaune using his dancing skills to avoid it, a suggestion she gave him after that one dance he wore a dress, remembering him that fighting and dancing were so much alike. Many saw him stumbling. But now every attack, every defense held a purpose.

Nora's Semblance was a simple, effective one. Her Semblance simple made her stronger, which is why such a small girl could pack such punch and swing such heavy weapon as it was nothing. But that slowly consumed her Aura, another reason she always tried to finish her fights fast.

Jaune was using this against her, extending the battle. His Aura reserves was bigger than anyone else at Beacon, so as long as he didn't get hit often, he could extend the battle and let Nora ran out of fuel. He dodged most of the time, rarely blocked, and when he did he used his Semblance, causing Nora to fall back a few steps and getting him an opening.

It was a bit weird for him that one sentence in the old book he was reading, the one about dragons, held the key for that battle. Apparently it was a sentence coined by an ancient general of the pre-Grimm era.

 _Know yourself and your enemy and you won't fear the results of a hundred battles._

Nora got impatient and fired a round to propel her in the air, and another to propel her down in high speed. Jaune just used his Semblance over his shield, making it shine white and spark, and when Nora hit it, she was thrown back at the air in a confused state. Jaune attacked her, hitting his sword on her hammer, knocking her down against the stone ground. Nora bounced twice before laying down, seeing white starts flying around her head.

"Winner, Jaune Arc." Ms. Goodwitch declared, and Jaune smiled a bit as he sheathed his sword and put it on his back. He was about to approach Nora and see if she was OK but Pyrrha just jumped on him, embracing her knight by his neck and giving a passionate gaze at him. The moment was ruined when Ruby also jumped on the duo.

"I knew you would win! You were awesome and your new weapons were so cool! But you totally should have used the gun!"

"On the other hand, we are about… 200 lien richer… Some of us at least." Yang proudly stated as she gave Jaune a gently punch on his shoulder. Soon Nora came over with Ren and Yin.

"That was awesome great leader! I can't wait to see the Grimm's faces when you kick their asses to kingdom come!"

"You got luck Arc. But congratulations on the victory." Yin admitted defeated, just glad that Jennifer could not see her face.

"That was good enough, Arc." Weiss stated in her usual cold tone, but she added something that made Jaune proud. "You are on the major league now."

"Thanks, I owe this to a lot of people." Jaune commented, his face clearly showing how much he was battling the feelings of joy overcoming him.

"Well, how about you cook something for us?" Coco suggested, and Jaune could just nod in agreement.

…

"Come back to visit soon, granny Yin." Nora said as she bear hugged the small woman and spun her a bit. It was night already, and with their business finished, both Lie Yin and Jennifer Arc were going back to their hometowns.

"Of course I will sweetheart. And better you put a damn ring on this lovely lady's finger by next time Renny, or I swear I will marry you two by force if needed!"

"I will miss you too, granny Yin." Was all Ren could muster as he hugged his great-grandmother.

"Good bye you all, it was a pleasure to meet you. Jennifer, I hope your flight catches fire!"

"You wish, old hag." Jennifer stated in a calm tone as Granny Yin boarded her airship. "Now, now, Jaune, I can't leave before you name your sword. You are its first owner, so the honor is yours."

"Well… I know it might sound pretentious, but I chose the name of a famous legendary sword, forged to protect the people. Excalibur." Jaune stated, and Jennifer smiled at that.

"That is a great name, Jaune. It was especially pleasant to meet you Pyrrha. My grandson is always praising you and now I know why. Take care of him for me." Jennifer hugged Pyrrha and smiled, whispering in the Spartans ears. "But with so many beautiful women around him, you might want to say 'that' to him soon."

The last statement made Pyrrha blush and looks at Jaune as he stood there with his new armor and sword. He really looked more mature that way. She would have said something if Coco and Velvet didn't started yelling as Jennifer groped them. Jaune groaned and moved to pinch his grandma's ear and push her away.

"I swear to heavens granny, you are worse than an old sailor."

"Yet you love me!" Jennifer joked before getting of Jaune's hands. "You all take care of yourselves, don't let Glyn make you all dull people."

With that she boarded a bullhead and they watched as she got off. Jaune dried a tear from his eye and looked at the skies for a second. His victory against Nora made him finally leave behind the last doubts he had in his heart.

"Ah, I see I missed your grandmother departure, Jaune. It is such a shame as I wished I could have exchanged some words with her." Jaune turned around to see Ozpin and Glynda.

"Yes, because for some reason you was so busy this last days." Glynda said and the teenagers just wondered why that sounded like sarcasm.

"You know very well that Jennifer Arc is always welcome to have a tea with me. It is sad we weren't able to but she is right behind me, isn't she?"

In fact, Jennifer Arc stood behind Ozpin, as the teens looked at her and back to the flying bullhead in the distance, wondering exactly how she performed that deed. She put a hand at Ozpin's shoulder, and smiled, but to him it could be the cold hand of Death itself as he froze in place.

"Hello Ozpin. Glad to see you are healthy. Now, l really want that tea, and while we drink, you can tell me exactly why you thought that sending my grandson, with his Aura unlocked and lack of a landing strategy at a 100 kilometers per hour into a forest from a 300 meters high cliff." Jennifer stated coldly as she dragged Ozpin's rigid body back into Beacon, followed by a smiling Glynda that was enjoying seeing the suffering of the headmaster a bit too much.

"Arc, your grandma is utterly terrifying." Coco stated as she looked the scene with her sunglasses down.

"And a pervert." Weiss added making Jaune groan.

"You know, maybe we should invite your grandmas here." Jaune retorted, and he noticed that everyone there cringed a lot at the idea.

 _What the hell is wrong with our elders?_

…

 **A.N. I love the Arthurian legend, even way before** _ **Fate/stay night**_ **was a thing, so I couldn't resist not calling Jaune's new sword Excalibur. XD**

 **Lie Yin and Jennifer Arc personalities were created kind of on the fly. I imagine Lie Yin being a lot like grandma Foster from** _ **Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends**_ **.** **Meanwhile for Jennifer I just thought the idea of a perverted grandmother would be funny.**

 **Now, this chapter centered in Jaune, but since I planned to give him a Semblance, and upgrade his equipment, it was needed; next chapter I intend to return to more Pyrrha's focused ones.**


	9. Freedom

Pyrrha woke up and cuddled Jaune a little more. She looked at her empty bed and remembered that Jennifer left the night before, after her tea with Ozpin, and while no one knew exactly what happened there, some people swore they heard screams of someone being murdered at the tower Ozpin's office was located with. But Pyrrha just loved to sleep with Jaune, she felt so safe, so right like that and luckily for her Jaune just accepted that was going to be the case from then on.

She looked around and noticed that Nora was sleeping with Ren in his bed. She was all sprawled over him and snoring, but apparently the energetic girl also decided that she would sleep together with her non-boyfriend as much as she desired. In fact, Pyrrha's mind wandered to thoughts of changing the single, if rather large beds into double beds.

She wagged her tail happily at the silly thought, and got even more happily when Jaune hugged her tighter before waking up. He gave her a smile, that one smile she was enamored with, and left out a sigh as the clock rang. They now needed to get ready for class. Pyrrha listened as Nora fall on the ground over the clock alarm and she also sighed.

Jennifer and Yin counseled her to stop waiting Jaune to confess, and to just tell him her true feelings. But one fear lingered in Pyrrha's mind, and it was that Jaune's affection for her was just that of a friend or brother. She wouldn't take that well, she knew it, and therefore she was scared of just doing it.

"Hey Pyr. Better we get ready. Morning is Oobleck's class and he really hates people being late to it." Jaune said as he tried to get up, Pyrrha gently holding him on the bed.

"I just wanted to say… You made me proud yesterday…" Jaune smiled and kissed her forehead, making her cheeks red and her smile bigger.

"It was because my awesome partner stood by my side when I was about to give up. Thanks."

He stood up and started to get ready for class. Pyrrha spent a few minutes just to look at him and wonder how exactly she got attracted to him in the first place. Maybe was because he heard how he wanted to find a nice, quirky girl to talk with during the first day, not like most guys talking about their own achievements or how they would 'score with a hottie'.

She slowly stretched and started to get dressed too. She left an annoyed sigh as she remembered she was still waiting for Jaune to give his OK so she could go back to the city. She loved Beacon and her friends, and Jennifer and Yin visit took her mind out of that matter, but now she remembered she was almost a prisoner in her own home.

Home.

She never expected that she would call any place that not the nice apartment she had with her mother home. The memory of her mother disappointed face made Pyrrha stop fixing her hair and look at the mirror. She saw herself, but also the fox ears and tail. The pictures around all showed her without them, and somehow Pyrrha felt those weren't her. For the very first time since this entire ordeal begun, she questioned who she was now.

"Pyr, are you alright?" Her partner called and looked at her face, worry written in his eyes. She looked at his blue eyes and felt like asking.

"Jaune, who am I?"

"Is today philosophical Friday? Because I think Ren is better at that than me." He said, and she chuckled a little. Even after his victory he was still her goofy knight.

"No, I was just wondering… The Pyrrha in the pictures and myself now, what are the differences…" She took one of the pictures, one that Nora took while they were training Aura, and Pyrrha decided to blow in his ear to scare him. He indeed jumped and screamed, but the picture looked like she was going to kiss his cheek.

"Differences? What differences? You still hum when you eat something nice, get all excited over doing small things like cloth shopping or an all girl's night, and you got all childish around cake… You still are nice to others, caring, comprehensive, sweet. Pyr, as I see it, only two things changed in you. Your looks and that you are more ready to show your feelings."

Pyrrha had a blush, maybe the queen of all blushes as she heard that. Was she showing her feelings more? Does that mean he noticed her feelings for him? Or that she was being inconvenient? Was everyone aware of that? Weiss looked to be, so was Yang. Did she make a fool of herself?

"Pyr!" Jaune gentle hold her arms and took her of her trainwreck of thought. "Pyr, you don't need to worry too much. No one that cares about you think badly of you. I don't. In fact, how I feel about you didn't change."

Pyrrha didn't know how to take those words. Because she had no idea exactly how the knight feel about her. He cared, that she knows, and he has done so many sweet things for her, both big and small. But what exactly those feelings meant, what exactly they were, Pyrrha didn't knew.

"Jaune… and how exactly…" She couldn't finish the sentence as they heard an explosion, and as they rushed outside they saw team RWBY rushing out of their team dorm, a dark smoke coming from it, they all covered in soot.

"Ruby! What the hell were you trying to do?" Weiss yelled at her team leader.

"I was just trying to make that cool metal stuff Jennifer used to make Jaune's sword!" The younger redhead defended herself.

"Ruby, you did that in a forge, under the supervision of an adult, almost a responsible one, who knows ancient secrets shared for generations! I doubt you made that weapon with a hair dryer, paper clips and tinfoil!" Weiss shouted back, making Ruby pout.

"Come on, people. We better go eat our breakfast before we risk getting late to class. I will let the window open and hope Ms. Goodwitch don't discover my little sis' experiment." Yang said as they closed the door and walked away while using napkins to clean themselves. Jaune and Pyrrha shared a laugh at the scene, before Jaune offered his arm to Pyrrha.

"Shall we go too, Pyr?"

"Yes, Jaune. Let's go."

…

Nora was retelling one of her numerous dreams, while Ren corrected her. Yang looked mesmerized at the tale while Blake read her book. Weiss kept nagging on Ruby's last antic, and Jaune and Pyrrha talked about class when Coco and Velvet joined them. Yatsu also joined them, and while he was a silent man, his subtle facial expressions always entertained them. At this time, he gave Pyrrha a curious look making her self-conscious.

"Is something in my face?" She asked as she noticed the stare.

"Nah, Yatsu just thinks your new hairstyle is different." Coco told her and Pyrrha touched her hair, noticing that she forgot to put it in a ponytail or wear her headpiece.

"I think you look gorgeous like that too. What do you think, Jaune?" Velvet turned to the boy, and he blushed as he noticed everyone was looking at him, including Pyrrha, her gorgeous green eyes staring intently.

"I… er… I-I think t-that P-Pyrrha's looks pretty no m-matter w-what." He said finally, and of course the teasing started. But for Pyrrha, those words meant a lot as she smiled relieved over them. The teased only stopped when Jaune caught a call.

"Hey little brother, I see you survived grandma!" Mia said happily, and Jaune put the scroll where everyone could see his sister, the girl giving them a wave of hands.

"Yeah, yeah. She actually behaved better than I expected. At least she wasn't arrested this time. Have she arrived alright?" Jaune asked and Mia gave him a questioning look.

"She wasn't booked in any flight to here. Mia was sure she was still there with you."

"Wait, where is Jaune's grandma then?" Ruby wondered and everyone thought about it for a moment.

…

 _Previous night, at Junior's club._

"And this is the most efficient way to put a drunk pervert down." Jennifer explained to Miltiades and Melanie Malachite as the man in the ground wondered how a blind old woman made him kiss the floor and was now pressing her cane/sword on his cheek.

"I think it is not painful enough." Melanie spoke first.

"I think we should not send the patrons to the hospital, just show them why they should behave." Miltiades retorted.

"Don't worry, I will teach you both ways." Jennifer said as she sipped her drink.

"Thanks Mrs. Arc." The twins said at the same time.

"Please, call me Jennifer."

…

 _Back to Breakfast at Beacon._

"I won't bail her from jail, tell dad this." Jaune groaned while Pyrrha comforted him. Yang and Coco were both laughing.

"Jaune, I am sure she is OK." Ren supported his team leader, but now he hoped his great-grandmother was back at his village. "Mia, Lie Yin took her flight, right?"

"Let me check Renny. Ah, yes, she boarded her flight." Ren smiled and sipped his tea. "The flight was diverted though, because… a 100 year old woman tried to break into the cockpit to teach the pilot how you fly straight?"

Ren spilled his tea over Blake, that blocked it with her book, and then the stoic boy recovered his composure. Indeed, he was very composed as he banged his head against the table. Yang and Coco laughed even harder at that.

"Wow, that is a way to react. Anyway… good news everyone!" Mia chirped.

"That new compact car is finally arriving in Vale?" Ruby questioned as she drank her milk, Mia looked at Jaune and he just shrugged it off.

"Spruce Willis is divorcing his current thirty years younger wife to marry another thirty years younger woman." Mia happily declared, and for a few moments everyone wondered exactly what was the good on that.

"I fail to realize why this awful celebrity gossip is good news." Weiss finally spoke, and Mia sighed.

"You all need to remember how the internet works! Spruce Willis, mega action star is in the middle of a scandal, which means…"

"He is a horrible person?" Blake deadpanned, making Mia cringe.

"Those girls have no taste in men?" Nora chimed in. Mia almost yelled.

"That the internet won't talk about anything else for weeks?" Velvet finally said, and Mia made Jaune's scroll show fireworks.

"100 points to the bunny! And if the internet is talking about this right now…"

"It means they finally found something else to be dickheads and will leave our Pyrrha alone!" Jaune concluded, and Pyrrha had a big smile in her face.

"100 points for little brother! Oh, and the second set of big news! Remember that White Fang cell that was threatening Pyrrha? Thanks to some anonymous tips, from me, they arrested everyone. And Blakey, I think you should know that they were planning to explode that new job management center for the Faunus before its opening."

Blake eyes opened wide, that project was one of the few that actually wanted to help the Faunus, and even so it was a target. The logic about why the White Fang would target such place escaped Blake, but then, the white Fang stopped making sense to her months before she left. She finally felt no regret anymore for letting Mia track them down.

"This means I can walk around freely now?" Pyrrha asked, almost glowing of happiness for seeing her life returning to a bit of normalcy.

"Mia would recommend keeping your weapons close and friends closer, but sure thing." Mia said with a smile.

"Finally! Thank you so much Mia! I can never thank you enough!"

"Well, Pyrrha, you can always send me pics of my brother 'greatest moments'." Pyrrha nodded and Jaune just stared between the two.

"Why I think those 'greatest' moments aren't really that. Et tu, Pyr?" Pyrrha's answer was a shy smile towards him.

"Aren't you all late for class?" Coco asked, and as soon as they looked at their clocks they realized they had two minutes before getting too late.

Let's say a Boarbatusk stampede was quieter than the eight teens running towards class.

…

Pyrrha barely could contain herself as she was going to have lunch in Vale with all her friends, and as promised she, Jaune and Velvet were taking them to Auntie Sallie food cart. She was a bit sad they were all going in battle gear just in case, but she finally was going outside. Jaune was wearing his new armor, and Pyrrha couldn't help but stare at him. He indeed looked more like a knight with it than his previous attire.

The Faunus looked weary at the large, armed group. They only relaxed when Auntie Sallie happily welcomed them and they recognized Velvet and Jaune between the group, as the two teens were common presence there. They arranged a few tables in something vaguely resembling a circle and ordered the food, a quantity that Auntie Sally was pretty sure to be too much. But once the food arrived and she saw the group devouring it happily, especially the girls, she understood it might not be enough.

"Jaune, I hate you for hiding such incredible food from us for so long." Yang commented as she ate, Jaune just gave a sheepishly chuckle back.

"Yeah! This food is delicious!" Ruby said as she stuffed her face in fries covered with bacon bits and cheese.

"I agree with them, Arc. I haven't had such exquisite food in a while." Weiss comment caused some people to look at her in surprise, many expecting her to complain about the simple place and the greasy but tasty food.

"Heh, I never imagined a Schnee of all people would praise food made by a Faunus, nor that she would go so low to mingle with us." An old, tall Faunus commented, making everyone a bit uncomfortable, but Weiss had a very sad look on her face.

"I am… sorry…" She whispered, and that surprised everyone, even the old Faunus. "For being unaware of the misdeeds my family did to your people for so long…"

There was a moment of silence and shock to most at that table. Ruby always believed Weiss was good at heart, the fact she was there was proof enough for her. Blake knew why the white haired girl disliked the White Fang, and how the terrorist group gave her a poor image of the Faunus. Yet she still stood by the ninja's side and have being trying her hardest to shake off all the misconceptions the Schnee family imprinted in the heiress. To the Faunus present, many with a sour relationship with her father's company, hearing a Schnee apologizing so honestly was not only unexpected, but to many of them outright impossible.

"Huh." The big Faunus murmured and left. The mood was heavy until another Faunus man, a broad but small one with horns and a big smile patted Weiss back.

"Come on, lad, don't brood too much over that. Some of us are just too thick headed. Apology accepted, at least from me. Now go back to have fun with your friends." Weiss gave the man a weak smile back, and Auntie Sallie chimed in.

"What you did now is more than many of us have ever expected from a Schnee. Be sure that this has more weight than you think." Weiss nodded, and the mood got lighter. Yang decided it was the perfect moment to put a piece of paper with a detailed schedule for the weekend on the table.

"It is the weekend, and I have it all planned for us! We will have fun, get in trouble and have fun getting out of trouble!" Weiss eye twitched as she looked at the detailed schedule.

"Wait, this is what you have being working on during class? For once I was even thinking you were paying attention!" That immediately took the mood back into careless happiness.

"Come on, it will be fun! We don't have many weekends were everyone can spend together like this! First, we hit all those shops for Faunus Vel and Blakey told us about. Then, we have dinner at this place I know that make the best nachos ever. Our Friday ends and our Saturday starts with a visit to this karaoke and dancing club I heard it is opening tonight." Yang concluded with a big smile.

"Karaoke and dancing? So we will hear people singing badly while we dance badly? I am in." Blake was actually curious about the place.

"I would love to dance." Pyrrha said as she stared intently at Jaune's, and everyone understood she meant 'I would love to dance with you'. The boy smiled and nodded.

"I will dance, but I won't sing. Weiss, you need to sing for us."

"I… Might as well. But I swear if I found a single video from any of you on the internet… let's just say you will need to learn with Ren how to sleep with your eyes open." She threatened, and the rest of lunch was spent in a joyous mood.

…

"That was a thing."

Yang's comment resumed their day very well. The shopping trip has gone quite well, despite many of the store clerks' befuddled reaction at the presence of both Pyrrha Nikos AND Weiss Schnee in the stores. The two girls plus Coco bought lots of stuff, and Jaune and Ren were glad Yatsu was with them to help carry all the bags, since not a single girl got back empty handed, and even the three boys ended up buying some stuff.

After a brief visit to Beacon to drop what was, according to Jaune, enough clothes for a lifetime, they got to the place Yang suggested for dinner, and they all had the messiest meal ever. Even Weiss usually pure white clothes ended up with cheese and salsa on it, forcing them all a second trip to Beacon to change clothes, for Jaune's stomach displeasure with all those airship rides.

The karaoke and dancing club was fun and Jaune spent most of the night dancing with Pyrrha, the redhead girl not moving from his side for a second. Weiss and Velvet sang, and both had lovely singing voices to the point that they had to sing three times each plus a duet. They would have spent more time there if their night wasn't cut short.

"I was never, ever asked to leave a place before! They certainly were overreacting!" Weiss complained as she walked besides Blake and Coco.

"I agree, tossing that man that kept pestering you at a wall was a completely reasonable reaction." Yang spoke as she walked, Ruby sleeping on her back with a big smile.

"Exactly! And when you broke that pervert's teeth because he groped Ruby, all within the rights of a concerned elder sister." Yang winked at Weiss appreciative of the support.

"Yeah, we were just protecting our friends." Coco spoke as she looked at Velvet being carried bridal style by Yatsu. "I am glad Vel didn't use her box though. That would get the police on our backs."

"I am surprised they didn't call the police after Nora jumped on that girl that kissed Ren. I have heard of cat fights, but she was more like a puma or something." Jaune spoke as he carried Pyrrha, also bridal style. Nora slept on Ren's back, murmuring something about Grimm and tree sap.

"Well, time to hit the sack, boys and girls. Tomorrow, we literally start our days with a Yang!" Yang's pun caused them to wince a bit, as they were going to do, what Yang defined as a 'picnic in the shooting range' when the morning started.

They gave their goodnights to each other as they entered their rooms. Jaune gently put Pyrrha in her bed and removed her shoes and any accessory he thought would be uncomfortable for her. He saw Ren doing the same, but the green clad boy just dropped himself in his own bed and was sleeping immediately. Dealing with Nora was that exhausting.

Jaune took his time to actually prepare himself for sleep, but when he got out of the bathroom in his pajamas (the onesie mysteriously disappeared), he saw Pyrrha trashing while sleeping, her face showing some discomfort. He sat by her bed and touched her forehead, she wasn't sick. But his touch apparently calmed her down. So, Jaune decided to slip in bed with her and spooned her, and that made the Spartan relaxes and changed her face to a happy, peaceful one.

 _So, I think after all this time she just can't sleep alone again?_

Jaune rested his chin over his partner's head and wondered how different his life would be if they never met. He probably would have died at Initiation. Even if he had survived that somehow, he probably would have being expelled as soon as his lacking skills made clear he wasn't fit for Beacon. He never knew why Pyrrha decided to stick with him, even after he confessed to her his lies.

If Pyrrha could read minds, she would know that many of her own fears were Jaune's fears, as he too wasn't sure how the girl saw him, as a partner, a good friend, or if she even considered they could be something else. Jaune slept soon, and his dreams that night were filled with a certain fox girl.

…

 **A.N. I will explain better how exactly Jaune's Semblance work next chapter. I considered using some more mystic explanation at first but decided to go for good old fantasy science.**

 **Next chapters will keep the tone of this one, at least for a while, but I have planned some darker chapters in the future. It all depends on my own mood after all.**

 **I am also considering starting to introduce some more… 'sexyness' soon, as I think it would fit the story well. :3**


	10. Resolution

Her green eyes stared deeply at his sleeping face.

She cupped his face gently, and smiled. He took the initiative of sleeping in her bed, of gently comforting her during the night. Now he was there, his face so close to hers and she couldn't do nothing but stare at him. His lips so close, she wanted them against hers, so she approached his face carefully, feeling his breath on her face. Her lips so close to his.

And then Nora happened.

"It is morning, it is morning, it iiisss mooorning!" She sang as she danced and jumped around the room like a rhino in a China store.

She jumped on Ren's bed, the boy flew from it and fell in the floor, the loud thud made Jaune open his eyes and stare at Pyrrha's face. She blushed suddenly and pushed him of her bed and into the ground.

"Oh heavens, I am sorry!" She spoke as she looked at his partner on the floor.

"Sorry I scared you. Sleeping in the same bed apparently was a bad idea anyway." Pyrrha jumped on top of Jaune forcing the air out of his lungs.

"No! I love when you sleep with me… so…" Pyrrha said with pleading eyes, her fox ears low and her tail gently touching Jaune's legs.

"Wow, you did the do with Ren and Nora in the room? Bold." Yang teased as Nora allowed her into the room. That made the duo got up blushing madly.

"Not in that way! We just slept side by side!" Jaune protested while Yang laughed. Pyrrha just hid behind him, trying to cool her head down.

"Yeah, yeah. You two, better get ready because today we will shoot more bullets than a shotgun marriage!"

Jaune groaned and took his clothes into the bathroom. Pyrrha sat on his bed and started to think there was some type of conspiracy to make all of the moments she shared with the boy stop when she was almost taking that one step forward. She actually started to plan on her head ways to get alone with Jaune so they could finally do something about her feelings.

…

The targeting range was actually a very pleasant place, surrounded by trees, with beautiful, well cared grass grounds and lots of nice places to sit under a cool shade. Weiss was doing exact that, wearing sunglasses and a hat as she watched her friends firing tools of destruction against the hard-light targets. Ruby was the one enjoying it the most as her Crescent Rose made big red circles on the targets.

The target range was fully automated, and the hard-light panels were the same used to protect the audience in tournaments from getting hit by a stray bullet. Once a target was hit, the computer would calculate the position and power of the projectile and represent it in the form of a red circle, the bigger and redder the circle, the deadliest the shot, with a computer voice confirming its status.

Pyrrha and Blake were tutoring Jaune with his shield-handcannon that Ruby and Jennifer made for him. It was actually a well made weapon, how it fixed in his forearm and balanced itself by distributing its weight along it. Ruby even made sure it was easy to reload while Jaune carried his sword on the other hand, by making it 'grab' the magazines from his belt using magnetic clips and gears.

Pyrrha was happily correcting Jaune's posture while teaching him how to proper use just one hand to fire an overpowered gun that the boy was sure was projected to kill targets behind walls and everything near to it. Blake explained to him how his gun was better to use in close range since it have too much recoil, and that he would have to mind that it took some time to shot between shots due to it.

"OK, don't put your arm so straight like that, leave it more relaxed."

The redhead spoke to Jaune, which now was blushingly madly as her voice gently ringed on his ears. Her slim fingers hold his arm in the right position, while her rather well-endowed chest pressed on his back and since he wasn't wearing his armor right now, nor was Pyrrha, he could feel it quite well. When her other hand gently touched his side, he pressed the trigger in surprise, the bullets hitting the projected figure of a man holding a sword in the middle of his legs, a big red circle forming there.

 **Target: Terminated. Ouch.**

Jaune, Ren and Yatsu all winced internally at that, as the computer voice told the results of that shot. Even the girls that were observing cringed a little.

"Wow. If you do that in real life, I am pretty sure people would just surrender after shitting their pants." Coco commented.

"Ruby, what exactly you were thinking I was going to fight that I needed a gun that can probably kill a small mountain?" Jaune commented as he gave the gun a weary look.

"Come on, with that you can kill a big bad Ursa with a pull of the trigger." Ruby defended her creation.

"Oh, certainly vomit boy can kill one and everything nearby by it, if not by the bullets, by the sheer terror of it." Yang spoke as she also thought Ruby's love for weapons was now borderlining creepy territory.

"You just can't appreciate the work of a genius!" The small girl said with a smile.

"An evil one, it seems." Yang retorted as Ruby pouted.

"I have a question!" Nora jumped with her hand on hair. "Fearsome leader, what exactly your Semblance does?"

"Oh yeah, we have being so busy we never asked that. That was quite a show, Arc." Coco added and gave Jaune a curious look. Jaune transformed his gun back to sheath form and put his weapons down.

"You know how those targets and the arena back at the school are all made of hard-light?"

They all nodded. The term hard-light refereed to the use of controlled photons in a way they would affect physical objects. It could create both invisible barriers, touchable holograms (like the ones used in the Transmit Tower. It needed a lot of energy to make it, though.

"Well, I can create hard-light. Ms. Goodwitch says that for now I can create a hard-light barrier around my shield, which is why it hit back so hard. And as you saw, I can also create a hard-light blade with my sword." He explained.

"So, you are now an Arc light! Eh,eh?" Everyone ignored Yang.

"Do you really need your weapons for that?" Coco asked as she grabbed his sword/shield/gun and examined it.

"They were made to make better use of my Semblance, but grandma said if I train I might be able to do that without it." He explained.

"Ok, children, now that we had or mix of pleasure and business, it is time to mix more pleasure with business and answer the question everyone have being making this year!" Yang proudly declared.

"When that new compact car will come to Vale?" Jaune asked, receiving a punch in the shoulder from Yang and falling down.

"No, vomit boy, which duo is the most badass duo of Beacon!" Yang shouted as Pyrrha helped Jaune back up in his feet.

"Isn't that Ms. Goodwitch and Ozpin?" Ruby added making a questioning look.

"Between the students!" Yang yelled.

"That is easy, Ruby and I." Weiss stated as a matter of fact, and high fived her partner.

"Pfft, you first years are too full of yourselves. My chocolate bunny here and I can take all of you!" Coco proudly declared as she wrapped an arm around Velvet, the bunny smile stated that was a fact.

"HAHAHAHAHA HA! Team Sloth here can defeat any enemy with our hands tied together!" Nora singed, Ren just stood there, not wanting to participate on that.

"Well, I firmly believe Jaune and I can win any competition on our way." Pyrrha smiled as the words came out of her mouth, but Jaune looked at her with a doubtful expression. He was stronger, yes, but they were talking about really strong duos and second years there.

"I will let you know that the Bumblebee stings the hardest." Yang said as she locked arms with Blake.

"So, Xiao Long, how do we solve this little question?" Coco asked while smiling, already imagining how it would go.

"Emerald Forest, Grimm Hunting, I already convinced Prof. Peach to give us permission, as long as we also bring back for her some wild berries. Sometimes I really think her missions involve more her shopping list than anything else." Everyone agreed with what Yang said.

"Bets?" Weiss asked, already expecting that from the blonde brawler.

"Glad you asked, princess. Blakey?" Blake rolled her eyes and produced a really tiny, revealing schoolgirl outfit. "The duo in last place will have to wear this at breakfast tomorrow. Also, I am betting two hundred lien on Bumblebee.

"I accept." Weiss stated giving Yang the money. Ruby blushed hard at the outfit.

"Wait, are we really sure we want to risk that exposition?" Jaune interrupted as he looked at the tiny costume in Blake's hands. Somehow his mind wandered into a forbidden place and he shook his head hard.

"Don't worry Jaune, I am sure you will do whatever you can to protect me from prying eyes." Pyrrha said as she gave Yang their lien. Truth being told Jaune was extra motivated to not lose now.

"Excellent. By the way the boys also will have to wear this same outfit!" Yang declared as she took everyone's money. Soon her scroll beeped. "Ozpin is betting on White Rose. Glynda on Arkos."

"Why I am not even surprised anymore?" Blake deadpanned.

"Is this open to anyone or just losers?"

"Satan, is that you?" Jaune asked towards no one as he heard a well known voice.

"Come on, a friendly competition!" Cardin Winchester asked as he approached with Russell.

"The possibility of seeing you two in tiny schoolgirl clothing? Compelling!" Yang said as she took their lien. "But try to cheat on this; I will make sure you discover why 'The Nutcracker' was my nickname at Signal."

They all shacked hands on agreement, though Yang almost broke Cardin and Russell's. Then they all geared up and approached the cliffs, were maybe not that surprising to find Ms. Goodwitch there waiting for them.

"Very well, I hope you all to be careful and to behave. Your hunting will be evaluated by Prof. Port on both quantity and quality, you have till sundown to finish it. Mr. Arc, have you developed your landing strategy?"

"I knew I was forgetting something! Can I have a few minutes to plAAAAAAAHHHH!

….

Jaune used his new found Semblance to envelop his shield in a hard-light barrier and simple cannonballed on the ground, leaving a small crater. He was pleased that the barrier also deflected part of the kinetic energy or his arm would be either broken or sore. He closed his shield and looked around the familiar place, but he was pretty sure it was his mind playing tricks as all places in the forest looked alike anyway.

He decided the best thing to do was to searched for Pyrrha, and started walking, suddenly to feel something jumping on him, forcing him to roll around the ground a few times. When he looked what happened, he saw a smiling Pyrrha on top of him, fox ears perked up and a waggling tail.

"Hi." She spoke softly, and Jaune smiled.

"Hi."

He gently put her hair out of her face and caressed her cheek for a moment, making the redhead close her eyes and smile, nudging his hand back. He sat up the best he could, using his other hand to firm him, still gently caressing his partner's face. He admitted to himself that the way his partner was behaving was damn adorable. He passed to cares gently her fox ears and that seemed to please her as she nuzzled him, something that Nora would do to Ren casually.

Her emerald eyes locked into his sapphire ones. Both felt their hearts beating faster.

It was like explosions were happening around them.

"Our comrades have engaged the enemy…" Jaune murmured, Pyrrha using many of the swear words she learnt Jaune knew mentally, almost wishing to change her hunting from Grimm to their comrades. Jaune helped them up and petted Pyrrha, making her smile again. "Come on, nobody want to see me in that mini dress."

"I don't know Jaune, I am sure you have your admirers, especially after that dress you wore at the dance." She joked, and they both laughed at that memory.

"My admirers won't have that pleasure. I will wear a dress only for you." Jaune missed the incredible meaningful look Pyrrha gave him. "Besides, I really want Cardin and Russell to pay this bet."

Pyrrha admitted to herself she wanted to punish Cardin a bit more. But she also wanted to spend more time alone with Jaune. It was so hard at Beacon with all their friends around, and she wanted more moments like the one they just had. Sadly, they were in a Grimm infested forest, and it didn't took long to they found opposition. They readied their weapons and shared a smile before jumping on the fight.

…

Jaune and Pyrrha stood by a big rock in a clearance in the forest. They had killed a good amount of small Grimm like Boasbatusks and Beowulfs, even some Ursa. But nothing as big as a Deathstalker, Goliath or King Taijitu. Pyrrha understood that every kill had a value, so they could either rank up points with small prey or get a big deal out of a more dangerous one.

Pyrrha wasn't eager to use the tiny outfits Yang would force the last placed duo to wear, but she wasn't so eager to win either. She actually was happy with her partner, Jaune. His victory against Nora certainly gave him the confidence he lacked and while he still have his way to go, with Pyrrha saving him from many tiny mistakes, but yet she was proud. He improved a lot under her tutelage.

She hugged him from behind as he reloaded his gun/shield, and he smiled back. Pyrrha nuzzled his neck and he laughed at the action, his answer was to nuzzle the back of her fox ears. To the girl, there was little doubt about their feelings anymore. All she needed was to tell him, it is all she wanted.

"Something is coming…" Jaune said as he sensed with his Aura danger. Pyrrha also sensed it, and whatever it was, she was going to kill it painfully. That she promised to herself as her moment was ruined once again.

A King Taijutu slithered close to them, and Jaune was weary on how to take it. Certainly Ren defeated one once, but that was one big two-headed snake. As he was making a plan in his head, he got surprised when Pyrrha just jumped on it and started piercing the white read with her spear, ignoring the black head was ready to take her. Jaune jumped on that one, his sword piercing its neck.

Both heads twirled violently trying to shake them off. Jaune fell off and rolled on the ground, charging his blade with his Aura and using his Semblance to cut the black head of. Pyrrha jumped off the other head and as she spun midair she fired her javelin with full force, the weapon piercing through it and as Pyrrha manipulated it with her Semblance, the javelin turned around and pierced the white head again, killing the Grimm.

"I think this one will get us out of the danger zone." Jaune said as he approached his partner. Pyrrha put her weapons on her back and turned to him, smiling.

"You performance was great, Jaune."

"I owe a lot of it to your training, Pyr. And other things too." He replied with a big smile.

He gently held her waist and rested his forehead on hers. She couldn't stop smiling, her heart beating fast. He was taking the lead this time. She put her hands on his chest and closed her eyes. The moment her ears picked up the sound of explosions and happy shouts she almost threw her javelin against the source of that noise. She dared to look at it to see Nora riding another Ursa, until the creature fell dead from a combination of exhaustion and Nora's hammer.

"Awww, this one broke too. They don't make them as they used to."

"Nora, I think I have already told you to never do that again…" A tired Ren appeared behind them. Jaune was about to say something when Pyrrha held his face with her hands. She would not allow Nora to take this moment from her again. She would show Jaune how she felt.

"LOOK UP!"

Ruby and Weiss landed onto Jaune and started bickering about wasting time riding another Nevermore. Blake and Yang arrived shortly after, and helped their teammates out of Jaune, who held his back with his hands. Pyrrha looked at them and one ear started twitching.

"Well, that was a thing. Let's go back and see HEY!" Yang was being pulled back by Pyrrha and wondered what was bothering the Spartan. When both of them were alone in the forest, she finally asked. "What is this about? Did we interrupt a moment with vomit boy?"

"Oh, I will tell you what this is about, Yang." Pyrrha turned around and Yang winced a bit, as the fox girl's green eyes shone brightly, filled with anger that the brawler never imagined she was able to. "I don't care what you planned for tonight, I want to have an alone time with Jaune. And you will make sure I will have it. Because I swear to the holy heavens that if Nora, Ruby or anyone else interrupt my moment with him, I will make sure that will be fewer students at Beacon by tomorrow."

"Yikes don't kill me I will help!" Yang answered slightly cowering in fear.

"Good, I knew I could count on you!" Pyrrha returned to her normal self and skipped back to Jaune's side. Yang stood in place trying to just process what happened. When her mind finally overcame the fear, she had a big grin on her face.

"Oh hoho! It is happening!"


	11. It Is Happening!

If there were two things Yang loved to do was teasing and helping her friends. If she could make the two at the same time, she would. And helping Pyrrha and Jaune getting together now meant teasing them a lot the very next day. And she would not even have to change her plans for that Saturday night as the group walked towards the bullheads, as she planned to bring everyone to the new carnival that opened in the city. She would be able to keep everyone busy and give a few hours for Pyrrha to finally clue the knight of her feelings.

"I can't believe I let you all convinced me of that." Fox complained as he also accompanied them this time, still angry that he placed last in the challenge due to an incident involving him, Yatsu, Cardin, Russel and a shortcut across a Rapier Wasps' nest.

"Oh, don't worry; I will have your uniform ready for tomorrow." Yang teased the boy that groaned angrily back. The brawler was just delighted at the idea of seem the four boys around in the skimpiest schoolgirl outfit she could find.

"Besides, I will pay you a nice ice-cream cone with my extra money." Coco celebrated as she won the challenge with Velvet. It was surprising the amount of destruction the bunny girl could do on her own.

"Jaune, I am feeling a bit dizzy…" Pyrrha said as she hung on his arm. Jaune gave a worried look towards her and gently touched her face. Pyrrha was using her best acting skills to look sick enough to be of concern but not so sick to make him take her to the med bay.

"You don't seem to have a fever. Maybe it is better for us to stay back?" He suggested making her smile, but as soon as Nora started speaking she winced, a fox ear twitching.

"Oh, so we can take care of Pyrrha and make her chicken soup and change her towel and…" Luckily Nora missed the death stare Pyrrha was giving her, but Yang noticed it and talked with the energetic girl.

"Nora, you will miss the pancake house, and I heard they have a new kind of sloth plushie." Nora was already inside the bullhead with Ren, and Yang exchanged a wink with Pyrrha. "Take good care of the champs, vomit boy. Don't do anything I wouldn't."

"I think you two should not do anything she would." Weiss commented but boarded the bullhead anyway.

As soon as the bullhead took off, Pyrrha left out a sigh of relief and started walking back with Jaune, arms locked with him. She had a few good hours of peace and she would use it. She would tell him all her feelings that night no matter what. The boy just smiled and walked close to her, unaware of her intent.

Beacon was a very silent place with most of their friends gone, as so many other students also away to enjoy a Saturday night. The beautiful moon in the sky was turning full, and that made the building even more beautiful.

They arrived in their room soon, and Jaune made Pyrrha sit on her bed as he took a thermometer to make sure she had no fever. She actually was happy about him caring for her, somewhat of a change as she was the one usually worrying about the boy. But different from her, who was calm and collected, he worried a lot and got pretty nervous on making sure she was alright, and she could only giggle at that.

"You don't have a fever, maybe you are just tired. You get comfortable while I will go to the mess hall and bring us some food, Ok?"

Pyrrha just nodded, and as soon as the door locked behind Jaune she took out her usual attire and choose a sexy, black laced underwear to wear under her night gown, and she also applied a faint perfume she had. She decided to let her hair free for the night instead of the usual ponytail, and as she saw herself ready, she rested in her bed and waited for Jaune to get back.

She brushed her tail with her fingers and felt happy about what happened to her in the last weeks. Somehow she felt all of that made her closer to her friends, and especially with Jaune, and now she was ready to take one step she never imagined she would take. After spending most of her life dedicating herself to her career, she was going to do something most girls her age did.

She was going to tell the person she liked how she felt.

And she would erase from existence anything and anyone stupid enough to get in the way.

Soon he was back with a tray full of her favorite foods, and they both ate and talked to each other for a while, Pyrrha barely being able to hold herself back. Certainly she could just spurt out to him, and she planned to just do that if anyone dared to interrupt them after she ended said person's existence. But she had a plan to follow, and she had a few hours for that.

"I will get changed." Jaune said as soon as they finished to eat, grabbing his sleeping clothes and entering the restroom. That was all Pyrrha needed to put her plan in action.

When Jaune exited the restroom, he noticed the lights were off, just the moonlight illuminating the place, and as his eyes finally adapted to the dim lighting, he couldn't see Pyrrha. He was about to call for her when he felt someone pushing him on his bed and as he turned around, he saw Pyrrha straddling him.

She looked beautiful under the moonlight, her long hair gently spreading around her face and shoulders. Jaune blushed when he noticed she was only in her underwear, and realized that her bust was even bigger than he imagined. She had a sweet yet alluring smile, and her green eyes focused on his blue ones.

"Pyrrha?" He asked, and she winked once and bit her lower lips.

"Jaune…"

He gently touched her cheek with his hand, and she closed her eyes and smiled more, clearly pleased with the touch. As he caressed her face, she nuzzled against his hand and kissed his thumb, making the boy smile and relax. When he caressed her fox ears, she left a please yelp out and he chuckled at it, making her blush, but he didn't stop with the touching.

"Why you chose me?" he asked, and the girl looked at him, a little doubt in her eyes. "To be your partner?"

"When I was walking around, many invited me to be their partner, like Weiss did. But like Weiss, they all just saw the champion and top student in front of them. You was just searching for a quirk, nice girl to talk with, and ignored my celebrity status. It got me curious and I imagined that maybe there was a person who would see beyond that."

"I had no idea who you were back then, you know? But when you saved me at Initiation, I knew you were nice. When you stuck with me even after I acted like an ass, I was sure nothing would break us apart, and how much kindness you had." Jaune noticed that Pyrrha's eyes started glowing, and her nine tail mode activated, yet she had the same alluring expression from before, and was smiling at him. The light she emitted from her tails made the room look even more beautiful, her, even more gorgeous.

"I couldn't let you go. You made my life here worth. Through you I made friends, learned to relax and enjoy the small things. Because of you I made so many things everyone did before but I couldn't." She spoke almost in a whisper, and Jaune pushed some of her hair off her face.

"That day, at the dance, I realized who the most important girl to me was. And I was dead afraid she would reject me. That she just saw me as her partner, her friend. But since then, I realized that I have being in love with you." He finally said, and for a moment there was silence, Pyrrha didn't react. So Jaune felt her tears dropping on his face, and with his thumbs he tried to dry them off her face.

"I have being falling in love with you since we met. Every gentle act, every time you shared with me a story, a moment of your life, every little way you tried to make me happy… You stayed by my side in my worst moments… And now…"

Jaune gently pulled her face close to his, and they kissed, her tears finally stopping flowing from her eyes. A gentle, chaste kiss at first. She put her hands behind his head, and he held her by her thin waist. They started kissing more, more lovely, more passionate, exploring each other. She finally rested her body on his as they kept kissing, hands exploring each other.

"Jaune…" She whispered, and smiled at him sweetly. He kissed her neck and she left out another happy yelp.

"I love you, Pyr. I want to be by your side…"

"I love you. No one else could replace you in my heart." She answered as she nuzzled his neck, biting it gently. He blushed and hugged her tight. To her, that was the best feeling in the world, especially when he threw the blanket on her bed over them and kissed her again.

"Let me guess, you are feeling alright." He questioned as he petted her ears, and she smiled shyly and nodded. "It got us together, at least. I was almost punching our friends for all the times they interrupted when I was almost confessing to you."

"I think I might have threatened Yang to keep them away from us…" Pyrrha confessed and they laughed hard as they snuggled. Pyrrha nuzzled his neck again. "You know... We have a few more hours before they come back..."

"I wish I could be as certain as you are, but all our friends are together in a place full of fun things to do, so…"

"You and I are together now, so I think we don't need to rush… Wait, no… that came out wrong. What I meant is that we waited far too long, and I have no intention of delay anything." As she said that she sat on his belly and removed her bra, revealing her breasts to him. Jaune almost passed out as blood rushed to his head over the scene, his eyes shifting between Pyrrha's face and her breasts. "Do you like what you see?"

"V-verily."

"I want you, Jaune."

"W-well… Your wishes are my desire." He said as they kissed again.

…

"I am sensing a recurring theme on our day outs…" Blake wondered as their night was once again cut short because of insignificant incidents involving their friends.

"To be fair to Nora, that game was rigged. At least she got the sloth plushie." Ren commented with both the giant sloth plushie and Nora on his back. "Using Manghild to win it was very reasonable."

"Yeah, and Yang making that guy taking hidden pictures of our underskirts eat his scroll, self defense." Weiss added as she helped Yang to carry a sleeping Ruby.

"And I still stand that clowns are the scariest shit ever and punching them in the face is just a normal reflex." Coco defended herself.

"I am never going out with you again. You are all crazy!" Fox shouted, prompting Coco to pat his shoulder.

"You need to relax, my friend."

"OK, now, we all know what we need to do!" Yang exclaimed with an evil smirk in her face.

"Yang…" Blake warned her partner, knowing as well she would be ignored by the blonde girl.

"Blakey, Blakey, Blakey… No good action goes without a chance of utterly teasing others. I bet they are now doing the most steamy, messy…"

"Don't even think of finishing this sentence Yang!" A very red faced Weiss said as they approached the door for their rooms, and the heiress was glad there was no sound coming from JNPR's room.

"Ren, open it." Yang ordered, but the boy just stood there.

"If my teammates are indeed in an intimate moment, I won't cooperate in interrupting them." But then he noticed Yang passing a scroll on the door and opening it. "Is that Nora's scroll?"

"Yep, her password shouldn't be RennySloth." Yang winked as she put Ruby down and silently opened the door with Nora's scroll, then swapping with her own scroll on hand. As she got inside, a literal bucket of cold water dropped on her head.

"What the hell!" She yelled as she got up, hair dripping from the cold water. The rest of the group picked inside the room and saw Jaune and Pyrrha in the same bed snuggling, she wearing one of his hoodies, and looking incredible happy as she moved the metal bucket back to its place with her semblance.

"See, I told you the trap would work." She told Jaune that just laughed at the scene of a wet Yang.

"Hey guys. Got kicked out of the carnival?" He asked their friends, but they were more curious about the couple.

"Are you two finally together?" Weiss asked, and they just nodded. "Good. That took too long. Goodnight."

"Uh, I expected more shouting. Oh, I will make you two pay for this, be sure of that. Congrats, by the way, and I want all the details after my revenge." Yang said as she grabbed the sleeping Ruby and returned to her room. Everyone else left with small congratulations, while Ren put Nora in her bed with her plushie.

"OK, I expect you two to avoid… awkward situations with Nora and I. We still share a room." He said as he got ready to sleep. "Otherwise, I am happy for you."

"Don't worry Ren, no funny business when you two are around." Jaune said, and Pyrrha snuggled on his chest, whispering towards him.

"I make no promises." A shocked Jaune could only snuggle her back and hope they wouldn't get in trouble. At least, not so soon.

…

Of course, the next day was as expected.

Yang would not stop teasing the new couple, and especially would refuse to lower her voice during breakfast as revenge for them getting her hair wet. Jaune tried to hid his embarrassed face with his hands, but Pyrrha wasn't helping as she kept hugging and kissing him whenever she could, clearly making up for lost time. Ruby and Nora were complaining they were sleeping during the big reveal, while Ren, Weiss and Blake tried to pretend they didn't care. Coco was more than eager to join Yang on her teasing, but it was Velvet that voiced the burning question, her cheeks very red.

"Have you two… gone all the way?" Jaune could only eye the bunny girl in utter surprise. That was not a question he expected from the shyest girl they knew. Weiss dropped her spoon on her plate, her face once again completely red. Ruby was coughing as her cookie entered the wrong way. Blake hid her face on her book, while Ren was stoic as ever, but internally yelling. Coco and Yang stared between the couple and a blushing Velvet, while Nora had no idea what she meant.

"What you mean all the way? Like all the way from here to Vale? Here to our room? To the moon? Have anyone ever gone all the way to the moon? Do you think it is really mad of cheese?" Nora was interrupted by Yang with a well known look on her face and giggling eye brows.

"So, what do you say? Have you? Was it good? You had lots of time for that."

"I think I won't say anything. After all, I don't want any other girl wanting my boyfriend in their bed." Pyrrha answered forcing Jaune to hide his face in the table, smoke coming out of his head. The Spartan just giggled and nuzzled his hair as all of their friends blushed madly over realization of what that implied.

…

 **A.N. Conclusion on next episode, but probably that will wait for next week. :3**


	12. From Now On

Pyrrha smiled as Weiss brushed her fox tail.

Two months have passed since the Spartan and Jaune started dating, and everything seemed to finally get in its tracks again. Certainly nothing was back as it was before. Mostly changes were for positive, as the hate aimed at the redhead by racists and people thinking her transformation was some form of affront subdued into easy to ignore levels. Pyrrha still had to deal with racism, both subtle and not, but with her friends and lover support it all seemed manageable.

The girl's only regret is that she still couldn't fix the situation with her mother. They barely talked, and most of the times her mother kept talking to her about changing her condition, and that always made them argue, though everything was going more civil recently. Weiss ended assuming the position of manager for the redhead, and did a good job on that. It was the heiress idea to kept Pyrrha's looks top notch. She defined well to Pyrrha that while appearance don't matter in battle, this was her first tournament as a fox girl, and both winning and looking good while winning would have positive repercussions.

"So, it was true. The Invincible Girl turned into a fox."

Pyrrha opened her eyes and saw her opponent in the finals standing at the door. It was a taller girl than Pyrrha, but slender in body, carrying a trident and similar armor to Pyrrha's, just black and with silver details. She had grey eyes and black hair, and gave her opponent a curious look.

"Hello again, Lita. I am eager to fight against you." The redhead voice carried determination but gentleness.

"So do I. I just came here to tell you that I don't care about tails and ears. This time I will win, so I hope you to not hold back too." The girl Pyrrha called Lita answered, and it was clear that a rivalry existed between them.

"I will, because I can't win against you otherwise." Lita gave a smirk and left, and Weiss looked curiously at that exchange.

"That girl was surprisingly… pleasant in her challenge."

"Hippolyta Glaucus, three times second place in the Mistral tournament, former classmate from combat school. She is a nice girl, but very competitive. I am glad she still sees me as an equal." Pyrrha stretched and checked her equipment once again. "Better not leave her waiting.

…

The battle was fierce, as Lita clearly trained hard specifically to fight against Pyrrha, even her weapons, a trident that turned into a flamethrower and a net seemed to be designed to take down the redhead. Each blow and parry seemed that they were indeed in equal footing.

Jaune observed from the bleachers, and there was great support for Pyrrha. It was good that the tournament organizers kicked out of the premises anyone that tried to verbally abuse the fox girl, because Nora would certainly break some legs if they allowed it. He was sure that his girlfriend would win, even if she couldn't trigger superfox mode as they dubbed it, unless if her feelings was in a heightened state.

The battle at the arena took several minutes to get to a conclusion, and indeed wit was very close result, Pyrrha barely above the red zone as she launched Lita in the air with her spear and then against the floor, helped by her Semblance. Both warrior girls panted hard after the judge ended the match, and Pyrrha helped her rival up.

"You certainly got tougher, Lita. You almost had me there in many moments." Pyrrha said as her rival shook her head.

"You got better too, despite all my training. But I will win next time, Nikos. And it will be you chasing me then." Lita smiled at her rival and they both shared a laugh.

"I will be even harder to defeat, Lita. I will eagerly await our next match."

…

The after party was what Pyrrha wanted most. Hugging and kissing Jaune was something she still was more than eager to do, and being with her friends also made any victory so much more worth. She really didn't care much about fans and sponsors, but seeing the proud faces of their friends and especially of him, was reason enough to keep competing.

"Congrats, Pyrrha!" Ruby shouted as she hovered the fox girl, before Yang pulled her back from her cloak.

"Yep, congrats P-money. Now that you are a champion, again, what you say we go celebrate by eating the cheesiest pizza we can grab?" Pyrrha laughed and found it would be way better than giving interviews or dealing with fans.

"That would be grand." She answered with a smile as she snuggled Jaune's arms.

"Pyrrha…"

They turned around to see Thea Nikos standing there. Different from the first time they saw her, Pyrrha's mother wore a very calm expression, if a bit sad. Even so, Pyrrha's first instinct was to hold tighter on Jaune, and her friends got closer to her too. Memories of how things had gone the first time still fresh in their memories. Thea noticed that.

"Don't worry; I am not here to try to take you back. I just want to talk, really talk, if possible."

"Pyr, talk to her. She is her mother, after all." Jaune was the first to speak, and gave her a reassuring smile and a kiss on the forehead. Pyrrha smiled back at him and after a few moments let go of his arm, and approached her mother.

"Let's go to the locker rooms. Nobody should be there right now." Pyrrha walked and her mother followed, concerned stares laid on them from the group.

…

"Your boyfriend seems to really love you…" Thea was the first to speak after a few minutes of silence between them. Pyrrha gave a small smile at it.

"He has being nothing but perfect to me."

"So, he really is more than I gave for him. I am… sorry…" Pyrrha just stared at her mother, waiting her to continue. "He was right, you know? You were passing through a difficult time in your life and he stood by your side, supported you. It wasn't supposed to be your boyfriend to be the safe net for you to fall back into; it was supposed to be me. But he was right, I let my worries about your career take over my worries about my daughter…"

Pyrrha was a bit shocked about it. After so many months of her and her mother barely talking with each other, she was expecting another shouting contest before they finally were able to make amends. But there was her mother seemingly truly regretting her actions. Pyrrha was unsure what to do now.

"I just… Remember, probably better than you, all the hardships that we had to endure after your father passed away. I don't want you to suffer what we suffered, but I was so scared that I could only see one option, instead of giving you the support you needed." Tears dripped from Thea's eyes, and Pyrrha finally let her emotions take over, hugging her mother.

"Mom, I was so scared that I might have lost you…"

"And I, you. Can you forgive me, Pyrrha?"

"Of course I can, mom…"

They cried out for a little while, hugging each other. They just stopped when Pyrrha's mother started to pet her daughter's fox ears, making Pyrrha feel finally safe in her mother's company again. They resumed talking after a few minutes.

"I need to say sorry to the boy too…"

"Jaune will probably shrug it off as it never happened." Pyrrha smirked as she said that because that was certainly what would happen. Jaune's mind probably had no capacity of understanding the concept of holding a grudge.

"And he took care of you, so I think he deserve a sorry and a thank you. I hope he don't swear though. Or that you start to do like him." Thea smiled at the commented, and Pyrrha could only laugh heartily.

…

As expected, Jaune shrugged all the tensions off and finally had a proper meeting with Thea, the older woman surprised how he could be like that, but seeing how happy her daughter was made her accept that this was the kind of person the knight was. Tensions still existed between Thea and the others, except maybe Nora that seemed more confused than anything. Pyrrha on the other hand was happy one of the things she most feared, not being able to have a normal relationship with her mother, was finally fixed.

"So, mom, we were about to eat pizza… I wonder if you want to come with us?" Pyrrha asked when everyone stopped talking.

"I don't want to intrude, hun." Thea knew some of the girls were still wary of her.

"Nonsense. It is your daughter's victory party, and you should be here too." Jaune stated, somewhat removing the rest of the tension still present.

"Does this includes the sister of the champion's boyfriend?"

They turned around to see Chia Arc, one of the many sisters Jaune had approaching the group. She was wearing a business suit with leather gloves; a usual look for her as she worked as administrator for the Arc's business. She was twins with Micaela, but wore her blonde hair short. Jaune was the first to speak with her.

"Sis? What are you doing here?"

"Can't I visit my lil bro and her gorgeous girlfriend and friends?" She smiled and chuckled. "Since we are all going to eat a nice pizza anyway, I wanted to use this opportunity to talk business with the champion."

"Business?" Both Thea and Pyrrha wondered.

…

"Red wine?" Pyrrha wondered as she sipped a bit of the beverage Chia bring with her to the pizza parlor, causing casual onlookers to wonder what a bunch of teenagers and two older women were doing while eating pizza and drinking wine.

"Yes. You know how our family owns a vineyard and we produce the finest white wine in Remnant? For some time we have being wanting to diversify our line of products, and we finally developed a perfect red wine after all those years." Chia explained to them, and Pyrrha tasted the wine one more time. Surely it was a great one; she just failed to see what she had to do with all that.

"So, red wine, redhead, do you catch my drift?" Chia said, confusing everyone. It was Thea that understood it first.

"You want my daughter to promote your wine?"

"Actually, I want your daughter to be on the label itself." Chia put on the table the final draft of the label that would adorn the bottles. It was clear Pyrrha in her fox form, walking between the grapevines in a tunic. It was a very beautiful drawing, for sure. "Our marketing strategy is to associate a victorious person like Pyrrha to the wine, basically stating that our wine is the chosen one by successful people. We even choose its name based on Pyrrha, _Renard Rouge._

"That is… nice… But…" Thea started talking, but Chia cut her, understanding her worries.

"We were going to ask your daughter anyway, basically we had chose her to be our poster girl since Jaune here told us she was his partner. The four time Mistral champion was too good to pass, but then, she turned into a cute fox, forcing us to rework our project to accommodate the change. Believe me when I tell you this, Mrs. Nikos, I am not asking of your daughter this because my brother is in love with her. I am a business woman, and I believe having her in the labels will be a smart business move."

"You can trust my sister on this, Mrs. Nikos. She is a bit too attached to money, and she will not do anything out of the good of her heart if it includes losing it." Jaune commented, and Chia made a fake indignant gesture.

"You hurt me, brother! I will let you all know that I am a very generous person. It is a great marketing strategy." She said with a wink, and general laughter filled the table.

"What you say Pyrrha?" Thea asked her daughter, which was lost in thought for a moment.

"That sounds grand, but how many is there for us." Pyrrha asked, and everyone was a bit shocked she could go in full business mode like that. The only one that knew of that streak was Thea.

…

"I will send the first draft of the contract by next week. I might say, Jauney, your girlfriend knows how to do business." Chia said as they walked to the airship docks.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Chia." Pyrrha said as she walked hand in hand with Jaune. "A shame you can't stay longer."

"Next time we meet I will make sure to properly tease you two." Chia winked to Pyrrha, creating more laugh.

"You should stay longer, Mrs. Nikos." Jaune said to Pyrrha's mother.

"I want to, but like Chia I have business to attend to. I really just came here to reconcile with my daughter. A trip worth taking."

Pyrrha and her mother hugged each other tight before the older Nikos had to take the airship back to Mistral, while Chia returned home soon after. The group felt lighter hearted as they walked back to Beacon. Pyrrha entered their room with a smile across her face as her life seemed to return as close as how it was before. She sat on her bed (well, Jaune's bed, but she simple refused to sleep alone nowadays) and relaxed as her teammates started to get ready to sleep.

"Pyr, catch!" Jaune threw a package he hid under her bed to Pyrrha. She opened and saw a beautiful purple kimono-like sleep wear like the one Blake used. "Once you said you thought one of those were cute, so I GAH!"

Jaune couldn't keep talking with Pyrrha as she glomped him and smothered him on kisses. The girl couldn't be happier with her boyfriend, and many times she would give him clearly demonstrations of affection. It was usually up to Ren, Weiss or Ms. Goodwitch to make them behave.

…

Jaune woke up without the now familiar presence of his girlfriend on top of him. He looked around and couldn't find Pyrrha anywhere. He saw the window open, and saw the girl walking towards one of the many gardens Beacon had. He wondered why she did that but decided to get dressed and followed her as fast as possible.

He followed her through the eastern gardens of Beacon, which ended in a big pond, where he found Pyrrha. She was in her super fox mode, her nine white tails glowing under the full moon light. She turned around and Jaune noticed that now even her ears were white, and her eyes had a golden glow on them. He carefully approached her.

"You... aren't Pyrrha…"

"So you could tell. I am not actually surprised though. You love her after all." She answered, and smiled at the confused look the boy gave. "You can call me Kitsune, if you wish. I am the spirit residing on this girl's body at the moment."

"I thought your soul merged with Pyrrha's…"

"Right now, our souls are more like when you mix chocolate syrup in milk and start to spin it, yet you still can see the milk and chocolate separated at first. But indeed, who I am and who she is will get mixed more and more, until only her remain, with a little flavor of me, of course." She had a sweet smile in her face, and Jaune looked even more confused.

"But, why now you decided to talk to me?"

"Because… When you helped me back in the forest close to the magenta eyed boy's village, I was curious about you. Someone that put my offertory back, left an offer, and even helped a little fox out of goodness of your heart; you aren't someone you can find every day." Kitsune approached Jaune and gentle touched his cheek with her fingertips. "I wanted to know you more, and this girl shared the same wishes and hopes for you I held, so she became a perfect vessel for me."

"I think there would be better methods to get to know me better. You could have paid me lunch or something." The comment made Kitsune laugh and set her golden eyes on Jaune's blue ones.

"I am sorry I cause your beloved grief. It was unexpected and not my intention. But that made me, one who have lived for millennia, fall in love for you, a gentle boy whose heart is pure. That is why I am talking with you, because your next words will decide my destiny, as this girl's." Jaune was completely lost at her words. That spirit fox was telling him, a common guy, she loved him, while possessing the body of his girlfriend. "If you wish, I will leave her body, and only a little bit of me will be left behind. She will be human again. But if you so wish, I will complete the fusion, and Pyrrha will be the only one left, and through her I will be able to live this love I feel for you, yet she will forever be a fox woman."

Jaune spent a few moments processing those words. He really didn't care if Pyrrha was a Faunus or not, and the few changes in personality she had were, indeed, quite endearing. On the other hand, he also liked the more serious Pyrrha, and in the end, to him, that was indifferent. But if Pyrrha became human again, she would have her normal life back. In the end, there was only one decision he could make.

"It is her life, and yours. Only the two of you could make this decision." He stated, and Kitsune laughed.

"She chose well. I wish… No, let's not talk about it. Can you make a promise with me?"

"A promise?"

"That if Pyrrha chooses to let go of me, you will come once a year to my offertory and pay me a visit?"

"Certainly I can, more than once if possible." He said with a smile, and Kitsune replied with one of her own.

"You won't remember this talk, except for your promise, Jaune Arc. But know I feel happy for meeting you."

Kitsune gently kissed Jaune on his lips, and sleepiness took over his body. She used her powers to levitate him towards a tree, and then turned around. She looked towards the pond, to the fractured moon reflected on the water. As she walked further, an image of Pyrrha was left behind, and Kitsune assumed the form of a dark haired girl as she turned towards the Spartan.

"Hello, Pyrrha, this is the first time we actually meet."

"You are the spirit." Pyrrha simple said, more amused than surprised. She turned around to see Jaune's sleeping at the tree.

"I am in love with him too." The phrase made Pyrrha want to dart towards the boy and hug him, afraid the fox spirit was there to take him from her, but yet she remained. "He loves you. You love him. Only through you I can live this love. But if so you want, I will leave."

"What that means?" Pyrrha asked the girl in front of her. She had a very sad expression in her face.

"I never wanted to cause you problems. I offer you a chance to return to the form you had before, while I return to the woods far away from here. But I am in love with him, and I wish to live this love, through you."

Pyrrha could tell somehow that those were words from the heart. If that offer was made before, she probably would have taken it. Certainly Jaune and her friends wouldn't mind either way, yet she would have the life she was used too. But after so long, she just came to accept her new life, and not everything was problems. Besides, it was thanks to Kitsune she and Jaune were together.

But there was one thing; one thought that crossed Pyrrha's minds.

 _What I would do if I was in her place? What I would want, and what would I feel…_

"I came to a decision…" Pyrrha finally spoke, and Kitsune smiled back.

…

Once again Jaune woke up with an unfamiliar feeling. He wasn't in his bed, but in one of Beacon's gardens, his back resting against a tree. But this time, he had the familiar feeling of Pyrrha hugging him, and he looked down to see the familiar form of his girlfriend cuddling him. He petted her fox ears and she waggled her tail happily at it. He noticed her ears had white tips, and wondered if he never noticed it before.

"Pyrrha, better he return to our room. Ms. Goodwitch does night rounds sometimes and I am damn sure she will not accept we were just taking a walk and slept outside." Pyrrha answered by kissing him deeply.

"So, why not do it?" She winked at Jaune, his face redder than her hair.

"Pyr!"

"Just kidding! Come on! Get me!"

Pyrrha got up and rushed back towards the dorm building. Jaune soon was running after her, and she giggled happily. She didn't know why, but she felt a sudden happiness she couldn't explain, but she didn't care. She was happy, incredible so. It didn't matter her life changed in a heartbeat, she was in love. Everyone important to her was there for her.

As she ran under the moonlight, she let that happiness fill her soul.

…

 **A.N. And that concludes this story. It was a nice one to write, but I probably will make the next one lighter in tone, maybe an AU thing involving more of both team RWBY and JNPR. See you next time. :3**


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